Dudley's Daughter: Year One
by NatteryakToad
Summary: It's Mia Dursley's first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and she's pitched head-first into a world of magic that she never knew existed. How will she adapt, and what friends will she make along the way? A next generation fic mostly based around Lily, Hugo and Louis, as well as my OC Mia. Eventual Rose/Scorpius... sometimes...
1. Chapter One: An Unexpected Visitor

Chapter One

An Unexpected Visitor

Mia Dursley tore the wrappings off another present. It was a new pair of jeans from her parents.

"Thanks Mum, thanks Dad," she said.

"I wanted to get you a skirt, but your father said you wouldn't approve," her mother said with a wry smile. Mia looked up at her dad and grinned. He knew her too well.

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Mia's dad said, getting up.

"Get rid of them quickly, Dudley," Mia's mum said. "It's Mia's birthday. Well, I suppose we better wait for him," she sighed.

Mia strained her ears to hear her father conversing with the deep-voiced stranger in the hallway. After several minutes, the living room door opened and Mia's dad came back in, followed by a dark-skinned man in jeans and a t-shirt which proclaimed the legend 'The Weird Sisters.'

"What's going on?" Mia's mum demanded. "Who are you? What are you doing barging in like this? It's our daughter's birthday."

"I know," the man said, turning to Mia. "Happy birthday, Mia. I'm Dean Thomas, from the Department of Muggle-Born Integration at the Ministry of Magic."

Mia's brain was whirring. Magic? Muggle-born?

"What-?"she began, but her dad cut across her.

"Mia, do you remember me talking about my cousin, Harry?" he asked.

Mia nodded. "He lived with you when you were kids, but he was away at boarding school most of the time."

"Yeah, well, that wasn't any normal boarding school… it was… a school for witchcraft and wizardry."

"Witchcraft?" Mia asked.

"Not like evil witches in kids stories," Dean assured her.

"So… why are you here?" Mia asked him.

"To give you this," Dean said, handing her a letter written on a thick piece of paper.

Mia unfolded it and read: 'Dear Miss Mia Dursley, I am delighted to offer you a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please send your reply by no later than 31st July. Term starts on 1st September. As a muggle-born, you are entitled to assistance from the Department of Muggle-Born Integration; the witch or wizard who delivers your letter will explain all this. Hoping to see you in Herbology, best wishes, Neville Longbottom, Deputy Headmaster.'

"I… I don't understand," Mia said eventually.

"Have you ever made something odd happen, and you don't know how you did it?" Dean asked.

Mia was immediately confronted with a picture of an extremely annoying earless boy. She grinned. "I made my cousin's ears disappear," she offered.

Dean laughed appreciatively.

"It' wasn't funny," Mia's mum interjected.

"It was quite funny," Mia said. "They reappeared after a couple of minutes."  
"Well, Mia," Dean continued. "That was magic. It was uncontrolled because you're young and untrained. But at Hogwarts, you can learn to control and use your abilities."

"And… and this isn't a joke?" Mia asked.

"No joke," Dean said seriously. "Look."

He took a thin wooden stick from his pocket and pointed it at Mia's new jeans. With a flick, they turned green. Another flick, and they were neon pink. With a third flick they turned back to their original colour.

"Cool," Mia breathed.

Dean reached into his pocket again and handed Mia a business card.

"The Department's postal address," he told her. "Most wizards think we're stupid having one, but we feel muggle parents would feel more comfortable contacting us this way. Of course owls are much quicker… but there you go. Anyway, if you have any questions, you can contact me here. If you want any help getting your school things once booklists arrive, we can arrange for me or someone else from the Department to take you and your parents to Diagon Alley, but all in good time. So," he surveyed the room at large. "Any questions?"

"What's a muggle?" Mia asked.

"It's what we call non-magical people," Dean explained. "And you're a muggle-born because your parents are muggles."

"Are you a muggle-born?" Mia asked.

Dean shook his head. "But, like you, I had no idea the wizarding world even existed until I was eleven. My mother was a muggle, and my father was a wizard, but he left before I was born," he explained. "Any more questions."

"Not right now," Mia said.

"Well, I best be off then," Dean said, getting to his feet. "If you find you've got any questions after I've gone, send me a letter. Although, I expect the best way you could inform yourself about the wizarding world would be to get in contact with your father's cousin. If anyone could give you an initiation into our world, it's the Head of the Auror office, and the Weasleys. I was at school with Harry," he added.

Mia's father rose to shake Dean's hand.

"You were expecting me," Dean observed.

"Yeah," Mia's dad nodded. "I recognised the signs… saw it when Harry was… well, before…"

The two men continued talking as Mia's dad saw Dean out.


	2. Chapter Two: Halloween

Chapter Two

Halloween

"So, why's mum not coming with us?" Mia asked again.

"Because she's having a bit of trouble coming to terms with this whole magic thing," her dad told her. "She'll come round."

"And what if I don't like them?" Mia asked. This had been her constant worry in the past week since it had been arranged that she and her dad would be spending Halloween with her dad's cousin and his family.

"I'll be with you the whole time," her dad reassured her. Mia could tell he was nervous too.

They turned into a square and her dad parked the car.

"Well, this is it," her dad said. "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place."  
They got out of the car. "They live here?" Mia asked. The house they were parked outside was in the middle of a terrace – it had to be at least four stories tall.

"Apparently they only use it for holidays," her dad said as they walked up the front steps. He knocked on the door.

The man who opened the door had untidy black hair, round glasses and a thin, lighting bolt scar on his forehead.

"Dudley!" he said warmly, shaking Mia's dad's had. "And you must be Mia. Come in, come in."

Mia and her dad followed Harry into the house.

"We'll go up to the drawing room," Harry said, leading the way up the stairs. "Molly and Fleur have banned the rest of us from the kitchen until tonight."  
As they reached the drawing room door, every head turned their way. Mia tried to take them in at once. There were two boys, one red-haired and one silvery-fair, sat practically in the doorway playing chess, only the chess pieces moved... sat on a sofa nearby were three men, one elderly and balding, the other two red haired, one's face showing multiple scars. They were shouting things like 'Get him Louis!' and 'You've gotta be firmer with them, Hugo; they're only chess pieces!'

A girl about Mia's own age with waist-length red hair was sat in a corner, building a car tower with two smaller boys, who appear to be twins. They were being half watched by a couple sharing an armchair; she was sitting on his lap absent-mindedly running her fingers though his hair. Finally, there were two women, one with bushy brown hair, the other with long red hair, sat chatting as knitting needles flashed in mid-air in front of the brown haired woman.

The elderly man got up and hurried over to Mia and her father.

"Arthur Weasley," he said, holding out his hand to Mia's dad, "But we've met before, of course."  
"Lily," Harry called across the room, and the red-haired girl got to her feet and picked her way across the room, knocking the chess board flying as she did so.

"Lily!" the silvery-blonde boy exclaimed. "Watch where you're going!"

"Yeah, we were playing that!" the red-haired boy added.

"Well, perhaps you shouldn't be playing right in the doorway, then," Lily retorted. "Yeah, Dad?"

"Can you look after Mia?" Harry asked. "She's probably feeling a little overwhelmed."

"Sure," Lily nodded, grabbing Mia's hand. "C'mon. I'll introduce you to everyone. This is Louis-" she indicated the silvery-haired boy, who was scrambling around picking up the chess pieces"-and Hugo."

"Hi," the red-haired boy grinned.

"They're my cousins," Lily said. "And you've already met my dad, and this is my mum-"

"Hi Mia," the red-haired woman smiled.

"-and my Aunt Hermione-" the brown-haired woman smiled over her knitting. "She's married to Uncle Ron-" Lily indicated one of the red-haired men "-and they're Hugo's parents. Then there's uncle Bill, and Auntie Fleur's downstairs in the kitchen. They're Louis' parents."

"Why's his face all scarred?" Mia asked Lily in a whisper.

"He was attacked by a werewolf," Lily explained.

"Werewolves are real?" Mia asked, incredulous.

"Uh-huh," Lily nodded. "Louis' sister Victoire's boyfriend Teddy's dad was one."  
Mia tried to untangle the relationships, but gave it up as a bad job.

"Lily, you haven't intr'duced us."

Lily and Mia both looked down to see the two little boys had given up on their card tower.

"Mia, this is Lorcan and Lysander Scamander," Lily told her. "And those are their parents, Rolf and Luna. They're my godparents. James gloats that his godparents are Hogwarts Headmistress and Minister of Magic, but I think Rolf and Luna are cooler than that."

"Minister of Magic?" Mia asked.

"His name's Kingsley Shacklebolt," Lily said. "He's like in charge of the Ministry – you know, the Wizarding Government."

"Kingsley's so cool, though," said Hugo, appearing at Lily's elbow. "C'mon, it's too crowded in here. Let's go to your room, Lil."

"Alright," Lily agreed. "Coming, Louis?"

"And us?" asked Lorcan, or was it Lysander? – Mia wasn't sure.

"You're too little," Louis told them pointedly.

"We'll come back," Hugo promised.

"Lorcan, Lysander, I think there's a wrackspurt in here!" Luna called excitedly. "Come and see what you think!"

"What's a wrackspurt?" Mia asked as the four of them headed up the next flight of stairs.

Louis and Hugo grinned to each other as Lily explained, "They don't exist. Well, Luna thinks they do, but... no one's ever seen one..." She pushed open the door to a bedroom on the second floor.

"This is your room?" Mia asked.

Lily nodded. "Mine and Rose's, when we stay here."

Louis sprawled himself across one of the beds.

"So," he grinned. "Hogwarts."

"Are you starting next year too?" Mia asked.

"Yeah," Louis said. "And Hugo. So it'll be the four of us starting together."

"What's it like – Hogwarts?" Mia asked. "Have you been there before?"

"Yeah," Hugo said. "We go there every year, on Victory Day?"

"Victory Day?" Mia asked.

Lily clapped her hand to her mouth. "Hugo! She doesn't even know about Voldermort!"

"Who's Voldermort?" Mia asked.

"Who _was_ Voldermort," Louis corrected, grinning. "Only the greatest Dark Wizard ever!"

"But... was... so he's dead?" Mia asked.

"Uh-huh," Lily nodded. "And guess who defeated him?"

"Who?"Mia asked.

"My dad," Lily said triumphantly.

"So... Victory Day's the day your dad defeated Voldermort?" Mia asked.

"Yeah," Hugo said enthusiastically. "So we all go to Hogwarts, to celebrate... and to remember the dead."  
"Did... did lots of people die?" Mia asked.

Hugo nodded solemnly. "Like sixty or seventy? Our Uncle Fred was one of them. And Teddy's parents."

"He's the one who's dad was a werewolf," Lily explained. "And he's going out with Louis' sister Vic."

"Where _is_ Hogwarts?" Mia asked.

"Scotland," Lily said. "If you came with us tomorrow, you could see it... only from the outside, though, of course."

"You're going to Hogwarts tomorrow?" Mia asked. "Just going up to Scotland, just like that?"

"Well, Hogsmede, the village just outside Hogwarts," Lily said. "And yeah, we're just apperating."

"You know, disappearing and then reappearing in another place," Hugo said.

"Yeah, just like that," Louis said, snapping his fingers.

"And you can do that?" Mia asked, incredulous.

"Well, _we_ can't," Lily said. "You have to be seventeen and have a license. But our parents can take us, side-along. Hey, maybe you could ask your dad if you could stay here tonight and come with us tomorrow."  
"Would your parents mind?" Mia asked.

"Nope," Lily grinned. "We better go check, though. And ask your dad... that's if you want to, of course."

"Yeah, I do," Mia said. "Let's go ask."


	3. Chapter Three: Hogwarts

**Chapter Three**

**Hogwarts**

"See you tomorrow, Dad," Mia said, stood on the top step of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" her dad asked, hugging her.

"Yeah," Mia nodded.

"We'll bring her straight home if she gets homesick," Harry told him.

Along with Harry and Lily, Mia watched her dad get into the car and drive away.

"Right then you two," Harry said. "Bed."

"Really?" Lily pouted.

"Really," Harry said firmly. "It's half-past ten, Lils. Go on. I'll see you both in the morning."

Mia followed Lily back upstairs. They had planned to talk for hours; Hugo and Louis were going to sneak back into their room after the adults were in bed, but the four of them were all fast asleep, almost before their heads touched their pillows.

When Mia woke up the next morning, sun was already streaming in through the window.

"Awake, at last," Lily grinned. Mia sat up, and saw her curled up on her bed, fully clothed and writing a letter.

"Who're you writing to?" Mia asked, getting out of bed and starting to get dressed.

"All the Weasley's at Hogwarts," Lily said, counting them off on her fingers: "James, Al, Rose, Molly, Lucy, Fred, Roxanne and Dom."

"They're all your cousins?" Mia asked.

"Yeah," Lily said. "Well, James and Al are my brothers. I've been up for ages. Everyone else is gone already."

"Did I really sleep that long?" Mia asked.

"It's only half eight," Lily said. "The others only left so early because the grown-ups had to go to work."

"So who's still here?" Mia asked.

"You, me and my parents," Lily said, leading the way downstairs to the kitchen. "Dad's got the morning off work, and Mum mostly works from home anyway."

"What do you parents do?" Mia asked, as they reached the hall, and headed down again to the basement kitchen.

"Dad's head of the Auror office at the Ministry – they catch Dark Wizards," Lily said. "And Mum's Quidditch correspondent for the Daily Prophet."

"Quidditch?" Mia asked. "The Daily Prophet?" She felt like she'd heard more new words in the last twenty-four hours than ever before in her life.

"The Prophet's the Wizarding newspaper," Lily explained as they entered the kitchen. "Hi Mum, hi Dad."  
Mia sat down at the table, and for the next twenty minutes was treated to a full English breakfast and a three-way explanation of the sport played on broomsticks with four balls. After breakfast, the four of them headed outside.

"Right then, Lils, take my arm, and-"

"I want to go with Mum," Lily said, moving to Ginny's side.

"Alright," Harry sighed. "Nice to know I'm wanted by my only daughter."  
"Okay then, Mia. If you hold my hand and I'll keep a hold on your arm too. You just mustn't let go... that's very important."  
"See you in a minute," said Ginny. She turned on the stop, and, with a crack, she and Lily disappeared.

"Does it hurt?" Mia asked in a whisper.

"No," Harry said kindly. "It's just an odd sensation until you get used to it."

Without further ado, he turned on the spot. Mia knew he'd been right about the odd sensation; it felt like she was being squeezed through a very small pipe. However, it was over almost before it started, and Mia was stood beside her father's cousin at the end of a village street.

"Look, there's Hogwarts," Lily said; they had appeared just beside her and Ginny. Mia turned around to see the castle Lily was pointing at. It was a magnificent building, set on top of a hill. She was already looking forward to making it her home.

"Right, where shall we go first?" Harry asked.

"Uncle George's!" Lily said excitedly.

"Alright," Harry agreed. "And I guess you'll want to go to Honeydukes, and I need to get some owl treats, and maybe we could finish up in the Three Broomsticks for lunch."

Mia followed Harry, Ginny and Lily down the street, trying to take everything in at once.

"Da-ad..." Lily said, hanging on to Harry's arm. "You owe me a Galleon..."

"Oh, do I indeed?" he grinned.

"Uh-huh," Lily said. "It's Saturday that's pocket money day."

"Alright," Harry sighed. He took two gold coins from his pocket and handed one of them to Lily. With a, "here, Mia, catch!" he threw the other one to Mia.

"I can't-" Mia began, but Harry cut across her.

"Go on, it's just a Galleon. I'm sure you'll find something you want to buy in Wheezes or Honeydukes."

"Thanks," Mia smiled.

"And, this goes for both of you," Ginny said. "Anything you want to buy, you run by me first, alright?"

"Yes, Mum," Lily sighed, grinning all the same. "James and Fred broke the record of how early into their first year they got a detention when they set off a box of Uncle George's fireworks on the train," she explained. "There's not much stuff Mum and Dad would say we couldn't have, only they want to know what we've got so they can monitor it. And anyway," she added in a whisper, "once we're at Hogwarts we can get what we like – Uncle George does a roaring trade with his Owl Order service."

They soon reached the brightly coloured shop, outside which hung a sign proclaiming 'Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.'

"C'mon," Lily said, taking Mia's hand and pulling her inside.

"Lilykins!" a voice shouted almost before they'd got through the door. Mia watched as a short, stocky man with red hair and one ear picked Lily up and span her around. "How's my favourite niece?" he asked her.

"You'll annoy loads of people if you call me your favourite, Uncle George," Lily grinned.

George shrugged. "You are my favourite. And who's – Harry!"

"Hi George," Harry said. "This is Mia, my cousin Dudley's daughter. She's going to be starting Hogwarts next September with Lily, Hugo and Louis."

"Dudley's daughter?" George asked, his face slowly breaking out into a massive grin. "Harry, remember the Ton Tongue Toffee?"

Harry and Ginny both started laughing.

"Ton Tongue Toffee?" Lily demanded.

George turned to Mia. "I bet your dad never told you about the toffee that his tongue swell to four feet?" he asked. "I just wish I'd seen it... Dad sent me back in the fire before he ate it."  
"Did his tongue go back to normal?" Mia asked.

"Of course," George said. "He doesn't still have a four-foot long tongue, does he? My dad shrank it."

"So why can't we buy these?" Lily demanded. "I'd love to make James eat them..."  
"We couldn't develop the antidote," George sighed reminiscently. "Problem was, with a tongue that big, it was pretty hard to eat anything, or swallow a liquid antidote. About the only thing that worked was using a shrinking spell, and we couldn't count on our customers being able to do that."

"Shame," Lily sighed.

Mia followed Lily around the shop. Eventually she decided to buy several spell checking quills, and, at Lily's suggestion, a skiving snackbox, which would allow her to skip lessons if she wanted to, although Hogwarts sounded so interesting, she didn't see why she'd want to. Then again, it might be worth having a colossal nosebleed to get out of Maths, a subject she now knew would be no use to her next year.

They went to Honeydukes next, which was equally amazing. The owner was happy to let Mia and Lily taste the sweets as they walked around, making their decisions. Mia eventually chose a large selection box, thinking that if her mum could taste some of this chocolate, she might warm to the Wizarding world.

Lily and Mia followed Ginny and Harry to the pet shop, sharing a packet of fizzing whizzbees.

"Mia," Harry said, stopping just before they reached the shop. "In our family, it's tradition to give a witch or wizard an owl for their eleventh birthday, so we'd like to buy you one... if you'd like one, of course."

"Yes please," Mia smiled. She'd always wanted a cat, but her mum was allergic to fur. But owls don't have fur...

"And," Harry continued, turning to Lily. "So you and Mia can write to each other this year, we're going to let you have your owl early."

"Really?" Lily said, brightening enormously. "I can get an owl today?"

"Yep," Harry grinned.

"Daddy! I love you!" Lily squealed, launching herself at Harry. "And you, Mum," she added, almost as afterthought, as Harry hugged her, laughing.

Half an hour late, the four of them emerged from the pet shop, Lily and Mia both holding cages containing their new owls. Lily's was a tawny owl, which she'd promptly named Venus, because James and Albus' owls were called Mars and Jupiter. Mia's owl was a soft grey, and she'd named him Felix, because that's what she'd always wanted to call the cat she'd never had.


	4. Chapter Four: On The Train

**Chapter Four**

**On The Train**

On the first of September, Mia and her parents met Harry, Ginny, James, Albus and Lily outside Kings Cross Station. Mia had met James and Albus several times over the couse of the past year, and already thought of them as older brothers. It was clear that James, at least, felt the same when he greeted her with a cheery 'Hi Mia' and ruffled her hair.

"Come on then, Dad," James said. "Places to go, people to see."

"James has got a girlfriend," Lily announced to the platform at large as they headed towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten."

"No I don't," James said, and Harry and Ginny both laughed.

"Yes you do," Lily insisted. "Her name's Chlo. I saw the letters."

"Lily!" Ginny said. "You shouldn't read your brother's post."

"Well, perhaps he shouldn't use Venus to send them, then!" Lily said indignantly.

"James, if you will use Lily's owl then you've gotta prepare yourself for the possibility that she's going to read your letters," Harry said. "Why weren't you using your owl?"

"He was taking a letter to Fred," James said. "Anyway, c'mon Al."

Mia watched James and Albus walk right up to the barrier between platforms nine and ten and then disappear into it.

Lily took Mia's hand, and the two of them set off for the barrier at a run. A split second before they reached it, Mia was scared that she was just going to hit the brick wall. Then it was over and they were through the barrier and on the platform. James had already disappeared into the crowd, and Mia could see Albus talking to Hugo's sister Rose, and a pale, blonde boy.

Mia's dad and Harry came onto the platform, followed by Ginny and Mia's mum.

"Alright, Mum?" Mia asked. Ten months in the Wizarding World still hadn't been long enough for her mum to adjust to the fact that her daughter was a witch.

"Yeah," her mum nodded. "I'm gonna miss you, Mia."

"I'll write," Mia promised. "And I'll see you at Christmas and Easter."

Mia hugged both her parents in turn and then followed Lily onto the train. The two of them walked up the corridors, looking for a compartment. Eventually, they saw Louis with his head stuck out of a compartment door.

"In here guys," he said. "A bunch of us first years are in here.

Lily and Mia went into the compartment, and sat down opposite Hugo and Louis, in the last two empty seats. The rest of the compartment was full of other people, most of whom looked as nervous as Mia felt.

For the first half an hour or so Hogwarts consumed the conversation. Hugo, Lily and Louis all had older siblings, and so all had a lot of things to tell Mia, from the teachers to the layout of the castle.

The door of the compartment opened and a tall dark haired boy came in. Every stopped their conversations and turned to look at him.

"Hi guys," he said. "I'm Will, Head Boy. Just thought I'd come say hi."

He wandered up to Mia's end of the compartment.

"Hi," Louis said. "I'm Louis Weasley."

"Another Weasley," Will grinned. "I swear Hogwarts is overrun with them. Are you Victoire and Dominique's brother?"

"Yeah," Louis nodded.

"I'm a Weasley too," Hugo said. "Hugo. My sister's Rose and she's third year – Gryffindor."

"And I'm Lily," Lily said. "Lily Potter. I expect you've heard of my brother, James... or, you know... my dad."  
Will grinned. "And what's your name?" he asked Mia.

"I'm Mia Dursley," Mia said, suddenly feeling overshadowed by her friends. She had a feeling that everyone in the Wizarding World knew their names and their families, but no one knew her. "You won't know me – I'm muggle born."

"Me too," Will shrugged. "And you must never think any less of yourself or let others think any less of you because of that."

He moved further down the compartment to where two round-faced girls introduced themselves as Alice and Frankie Longbottom, daughters of the Herbology Professor.

Later, when Hugo and Louis started a game of Wizard's chess, Lily and Mia moved down the compartment. Lily squashed in next to the Longbottom twins, and Mia sat opposite her, next to a girl called Rachel, who had introduced herself to Will as also being a muggle-born.

"Are you excited?" Mia asked her as Lily began questioning the Longbottom twins of the validity of rumours that their dad could be persuaded to tell War stories for a whole double period.

"Yeah," Rachel nodded. "But it's all a bit sudden – I only found out I was a witch last month. You're muggle born too -? When did you find out?"

"Last October, when I turned eleven," Mia said.

"You already seem to know everyone," Rachel said, looking over at Lily wistfully.

"Not really," Mia smiled. She didn't really know anyone, apart from Lily, in her own right – Lily's cousins were only being friendly towards her because of Lily – and unlike Lily, she wasn't very good at making friends. "My dad and Lily's dad are cousins, and then Lily knows everyone."

"What's that?" Lily asked, looking over at the sound of her name.

"I was just saying you know everyone in the Wizarding World," Mia said.

"Hardly," Lily said. "I don't know you, or the girl sitting next to you."

"You don't know me because I'm muggle-born," Rachel put in.

"I'm Cassie," the dark-haired girl on Rachel's other side said shyly. "Cassie Andrews."

"Are you muggle-born too?" Lily asked.

Cassie shook her head.

"Hmm... I haven't heard of any wizards called Andrews..." Lily mused.

"I'm a half-blood," Cassie explained. "My dad's a muggle – that's where I get Andrews from."

After a while, Lily and Mia went back to sit with Louis and Hugo, and the four of them passed the rest of the journey playing Exploding Snap and Cheat, a muggle card game Mia had taught her friends. As the train sped through the ever darkening landscape, the lamps were lit and the first years began to pull on their school robes, talk turning to the sorting.

"Gryffindor or Ravenclaw," Louis shrugged. "I'm not fussed. Everyone says Weasleys belong in Gryffindor, but Vic and Dom are both Ravenclaw, so..." he shrugged.

"You won't be in Ravenclaw," Lily said. "You never work hard at anything."

"No," Louis corrected her, "that's why I won't be in Hufflepuff. You only have to _have_ brains to be in Ravenclaw; you don't have to _use_ them."

"You'll upset your classmates if you don't use them," Hugo said.

"Sounds like fun," Louis said, grinning lazily. "I like winding people up."

"We know you do," Lily laughed.

Mia started worrying about the sorting. She didn't particularly mind which house she ended up in. She'd heard a lot about each house from Lily, Hugo and Louis. Gryffindors were known for their bravery, Ravenclaws for their intellect, Hufflepuffs for their loyalty and Slytherins for their cunning. Whilst Slytherin still had a bit of a reputation for producing dark Wizards, it didn't sound _that _bad. No, what Mia was worried about was being apart from her friends, especially Lily. Mia felt she'd be lost in the Wizarding World without Lily's knowledge and guidance.

The train soon slowed to a stop, and the first years joined the crowd making its way onto the platform. Mia grabbed Lily's hand to stop them getting separated as they we buffeted around by the older students.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over 'ere!"

Mia heard a voice call from the far side of the platform, and saw a light bobbing from the same direction. Lily began to push her way through the crowd towards it, and Mia allowed herself to be pulled along in her friend's wake. They joined the little throng gathering around the large man with the lamp, who Mia knew to be Hagrid, the gamekeeper and Care of Magical Creatures professor.

"A'right, is tha' all a yeh?"Hagrid asked, looking down at the forty or so first years gathered around him. "Bes' be off then. Follo' me."

He turned and strode down the quickly emptying platform, the first years hurrying in his wake. They soon reached the edge of a murky black lake, where a small fleet of boats waited.

"No more 'n four to a boat," Hagrid called out, and Lily, Hugo, Louis and Mia hurried to claim a boat. Once everyone was in a boat, the fleet moved off across the inky black lake.

"Al says there's a moment where you can just suddenly see the castle," Lily said, as their four of them waited with baited breath for the first glimpse of their new school. It didn't matter that they'd all see it before, that Lily, Hugo and Louis had been inside; the first glimpse was still magical.

The boats turned sharply, and a mousy-haired boy who Mia recognised as being in their compartment on the train almost fell out of his boat. They then passed under some overhanging creepers, and the first years got their first glimpse of the castle. It rose up on a high cliff above the lake, topped with multiple towers and turrets, their twinkling lights reflecting on the lake's dark surface.

They soon reached the other side of the lake, and scrambled out of the boats to followed Hagrid up to the caste. They had arrived.


	5. Chapter Five: The Sorting

Apologies for some of the abysmal rhyming in my sorting hat song - I literally got to the start of this chapter and realised I had to write a song, so I just wrote it...

* * *

Chapter Five

The Sorting

Mia waited in line with the rest of the first years to be sorted. She watched as a man who had introduced himself as Professor Longbottom placed a stool and a patched, frayed hat in front of the first years. The hall fell silent as a rip near the brim of the hat opened, and it began to sing:

_My job today is to sort_

_To simply place you where you ought_

_To be for the next seven years_

_But first, let me calm your fears_

_Gryffindor might be your home_

_Where the brave and bold must roam_

_Perhaps you'll be in Ravenclaw_

_Where all knowledge is an open door_

_Or maybe in Hufflepuff you'll belong_

_Where friendship and hard work are the song_

_Or even in Slytherin _

_Where ambition and cunning will help you win_

_But your house is not the only thing_

_Today that causes me to sing_

_Just because you're sorted to a certain place_

_It doesn't have to always set the pace_

_For your life, in school or beyond_

_Your house may be a permanent bond_

_But it won't define who you are_

_Whichever house, you'll go far_

_So, come, discard your preconceived notions_

_Bubbling away like age-old potions_

_Step forward and put me on your head_

_And your house, _I'll_ decide instead_

The rip closed and the hall broke into applause.

"When I call your name, come and sit on the stool, and place the hat on your head," Professor Longbottom said. "Abercrombie, Alexander."

The mousey-haired boy who almost fell into the lake walked up to the stool and sat down. His hands were trembling so much that he dropped the hat twice before placing it on his head.

The hall waited with baited breath, and twenty seconds later the hat shouted 'GRYFFINDOR!'

Alexander got up and scurried over to the cheering table.

"Ackerly, Dove."  
Dove walked up to the stool and sat down. The Sorting Hat took a little longer before announcing 'RAVENCLAW!'

"Andrews, Cassie."

The dark haired girl who'd sat next to Rachel on the train walked up to the stool looking like she wished the floor would open up and swallow her. The Sorting Hat took a full minute and a half before deciding 'HUFFLEPUFF!' Looking immensely relieved, Cassie scurried over to join the Hufflepuff table.

As 'Baddock, Vicky' because a Slytherin, Mai realised with a jolt that she would be the first of her friends to be sorted; Dursely came before both Potter and Weasley. She waited nervously as Professor Longbottom crawled through the B's and C's, then held her breath and 'Darling, Francesca' and 'Davies, Zoe' were both sorted into Hufflepuff.

Mia fully expected her name to be called next, but instead Professor Longbottom said 'Downer, Derek', and a thin boy with glasses was sorted into Ravenclaw.

'Dursley, Mia.'

Mia walked up to the stool, sat down, and placed the Sorting Hat on her head, where it slipped down over her eyes, blocking the hall from her sight.

'Well, Mia Dursley, where to put you...?'

Mia jumped as the hat spoke to her. But of course it could speak – she'd just heard it sing, hadn't she? Mia guessed she was the only one who could hear it, since she hadn't heard the others being sorted.

'There's brains, oh yes,' the hat continued, 'although they can be hampered by a short attention span... and there's a desire to prove yourself, but don't be afraid to ask for help... You're fiercely loyal to your friends, but I see something... more. So, it better be: GRYFFINDOR!'

As the hat shouted the last word aloud to the hall, Mia got up and went to sit at the Gryffindor table, which had broken into applause. She sat down beside Albus, and heard Will call "welcome to Gryffindor, Mia" from a few places up the table. She tuned back in to the sorting in time to see 'Finch-Fletchley, Ben' become a Hufflepuff.

As the line thinned, Mia waited for her friends to be sorted. She really hoped they all ended up in Gryffindor; whatever the hat said, it wouldn't be the same if they were in different houses.

Alice and Frankie Longbottom were both sorted into Gryffindor, and sat down opposite Mia. Mia tuned out again somewhat, watching Lily, who didn't look nervous at all. As 'Peakes, Oscar' was sorted into Gryffindor, Professor Longbottom called 'Potter, Lily', and the whispers which had begun as the older students tired of the sorting died away, as the school watched the famous Harry Potter's only daughter get sorted.

Lily walked up to the Sorting Hat confidently, sat down and placed it on her head. Ten seconds later, the hat shouted 'GRYFFINDOR!'

The Gryffindor table broke into tumultuous applause, Mia included. Grinning, Lily walked over and sat down next to Mia. She could just about hear Will call, "Welcome to Gryffindor, Lily!" over the din.

Mia tuned back to watch the sorting progress through the P's and R's. As 'Travis, Kaia' settled herself at the Hufflepuff table, Professor Longbottom called out 'Weasley, Hugo'.

Hugo walked over to the stool, sat down and placed the Hat firmly on his head. A minute passed, and then two. Mia could see Hugo resolutely muttering 'Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Gryffindor' under his breath.

Finally, after almost three minutes, the Sorting Hat announced 'GRYFFINDOR!' Still looking a bit pale and shaky, Hugo got up, as Professor Longbottom called 'Weasley, Louis.'

Louis placed the Sorting Hat on his head, and Mia, Hugo and Lily waited.

'RAVENCLAW!'

"What?!" Lily said.

Louis got up from the stool, gave Lily, Hugo and Mia a lazy thumbs up, and headed over to the Ravenclaw table, where he sat down next to his sister, Dominique.

"He'll be alright," Hugo told Lily, as 'Whitby, Dwayne' was sorted into Hufflepuff. "He knew there was a chance he'd ben in Ravenclaw, and he wasn't fussed."  
"Mmm," Lily agreed, as 'Wilson, Rachel' joined the Gryffindor tabled. "I just wanted us all to be together."

"We'll have lessons with him, and there's always the House Common Room," Hugo reminded her, as the sorting concluded with 'Wyatt, Carolyn' becoming a Hufflepuff.

The hall fell silent as a woman in the middle of the staff table rose to speak.

"I hope McGonnagal doesn't talk for so long," Lily whispered to Mia. "I'm starving."

So that was Professor McGonnagal, the headmistress. Mia thought she looked quite stern, but the Potters and Weasleys had all assured her she had a heart of gold.

"Welcome," she said, her voice easily filling the hall. "Welcome to another year of learning, of friendship and of maturation. I have a few start of term notices, but I believe they can wait until after the feast. Enjoy."

The students turned back to their tables as food appeared on the platters and serving dishes in the middle of the tables. Along with the rest of the school, Mia began piling her plate with food. As she ate, Mia looked around her, taking in the people who would be her classmates for the next seven years.

Once everyone had finished eating, the plates cleared, and McGonnagal rose to speak.

"This year, as I am sure many of you are aware, the Triwizard Tournament will be held at Beaxbatons Academy," she said, and an excited whisper rippled through the older students. "For those of you who have not heard of the Triwizard Tournament, it is a competition held every five years between the three biggest Wizarding schools in Europe – Hogwarts, Beaxbatons and Durmstrang. Although when the Tournament was first restarted, twenty-five years ago, it was marred by tradgedy-"

"TEAM DIGGORY!" someone yelled from the Hufflepuff table, and the hall broke into applause.

McGonnagal acknowledged the applause with a wave of her hand. When it had died down, she continued: "Thank you, Mr Walter."

Mia saw the girl sat next to James, half way up the table, roll her eyes and mutter, "Stupid little brother."

"I am talking, of course," McGonnagal said, "of the tragic death of one of Hufflepuff's finest students, Cedric Diggory, at the hand of Lord Voldermort, just after he and Harry Potter had brought victory for Hogwarts."

"My dad," Lily grinned.

"Shut up, Lily," Albus hissed, and Lily fell silent.

"However, both the school and the Ministry felt, after the war, that continuing the Tournament was the best way forward to encourage international relations in the new world we were building," Professor McGonnagal continued. "This year, we will, of course, be taking a deputation to Beaxbatons. Any student wishing to put themselves forward for Hogwarts Champion should speak to their head of house by the end of the week. May I remind you that only students who are of age – that is to say seventeen years or older – or will be of age by the 31st of October will be considered."

"Damnit," Mia heard James say. "Next year... I've been hoping they'd change the age restriction down to sixteen..."  
"In my absence, Professor Longbottom will be acting Headmaster, and he will be assisted by the other heads of house so he will be able to retain his teaching duties," McGonnagal said. "And now, I think it's time for bed. Prefects, please show the first-years where to go. Goodnight."

The hall broke into a loud rumble as people got up and started heading out of the Great Hall. The first years stood around in a little group, not sure where to go.

"First years!" a voice called, and they saw a tall boy with dark blonde hair pushing his way through the crowd towards them, flanked by James and a dark-skinned boy with dark red hair in cornrows.

"You're not prefects," Lily said indignantly.

"Chris is," James grinned. "And we're helping him, aren't we, Fred?"

"Yeah," the dark-skinned boy nodded. "C'mon, midgets."

A girl with electric-blue hair appeared behind James, Fred and Chris.

"Oh, you've found them," she said.

"Yeah, don't worry, we've got it, Ruthie," Chris said.

"Oh, well I'll follow you," Ruthie said. "Make sure we don't lose any stragglers."

Lily, Hugo, Mia and the rest of the Gryffindor first-years followed James, Fred and Chris out of the Great Hall, blue-haired Ruthie following on behind. They crossed the Entrance Hall and up a flight of stone steps. Mia tried to take everything in at once; the portraits scurrying from frame to frame, following the first years; the endless staircases, one of which moved once they stepped off it; the hidden doors behind tapestries which Chris insisted were shortcuts. Mia was just starting to wonder if Chris was leading them a long way for a joke, they came to a halt before a portrait of a richly dressed lady.

"Virtus Aeterna," Chris said firmly to the portrait, and she swung open to reveal a round hole which they all clambered through.

The Gryffindor common room was circular, filled with squashy armchairs. It was almost empty – most students appeared to have opted to go straight to bed. The prefects directed the first-years to their dormitories, and sleepily, Lily and Mia, along with Alice, Frankie and Rachel, the other first year girls, got ready for bed.

"I'm glad we're in Gryffindor, Lily, aren't you?" Mia yawned as she got into bed.

But Lily was already asleep.


	6. Chapter Six: The First Day

**Chapter Six**

**The First Day**

Mia woke up early the next morning. She sat up in bed and pulled apart the hangings of her four poster bed. Lily's bed was empty – she must be already up. Mia dressed quietly so as not to wake Alice, Frankie and Rachel. She found Lily down in the common room, writing a letter.

"Who're you writing to?" Mia asked, sitting down opposite her.

"Mum and Dad," Lily said. "I'm telling them I got sorted into Gryffindor. D'you want to write to your parents? Then we could got up to the Owlery together before breakfast."  
"Alright," Mia agreed. "Although I'm not sure they'll be particularly interested – they don't even know what Gryffindor is."

Lily and Mia soon finished their letters, and were just wondering exactly how they could find the Owlery, when Fred's sister Roxanne came down the stairs from the girls dormitories, holding a piece of parchment.

"What are you two doing up so early?" she asked.

"Sending letters to our parents to tell them we made Gryffindor," Lily explained. "Except we don't know where the Owlery is..."  
"Good job I'm going that way, then," Roxanne said, waving the piece of parchment.

"What've you got to write home about so soon?" Lily asked as they headed out of the portrait hole.

"List of stuff I forgot," Roxanne grinned. "I kept remembering everything on the train yesterday... although half of it I swear I did pack... perhaps Fred took it out and hid it as a joke."

"Sounds like the kind of thing Fred would do," Lily agreed. "You need to threaten to hex him, Roxy; that's what Al does when James annoys him."

"Yeah, but that'd be no use in the holidays, when we can't use magic outside of school," Roxanne said. "I'm still considering somehow making him eat one of Dad's puking pastilles without him knowing... still not entirely sure how, but I guess I'll figure it out."

They reached the Owlery, and Felix swooped down from the rafters and landed on Mia's shoulder, nipping her fingers affectionately as she reached up to stroke him.

"This is for Mum and Dad, alright?" she told him as she tied the letter to his outstretched leg. "If they want to send a reply, help them out, yeah? You know Mum's still a bit funny around you."

Felix hooted to tell her he understood, then took off out of the glassless window.

When Mia, Lily and Roxanne reached the Great Hall, they were some of the first there. Whilst Roxanne joined a fellow second year at the Gryffindor table, Lily and Mia spotted Louis sat alone at the Ravenclaw table, and went to talk to him.

"Hey guys," he said, looking up as they walked over.

"How's Ravenclaw?" Lily asked, sitting down next to him.

"Good," Louis shrugged. "I told ya; I kinda expected it."

"And you don't mind that the rest of us are all in Gryffindor?" Mia asked, sitting down on Louis' other side.

"Nah," Louis shrugged. "I'll have some lessons with you guys, and we can hang out in the house common room."

"That's what Hugo said," Lily sighed. "Well, I guess we'll see you later."

Lily and Mia got up and went to have breakfast at the Gryffindor table. After breakfast, the heads of houses walked up and down the tables, handing out timetables.

"Double Herbology with the Slytherins first," Lily said. "We better get going – the Greenhouses are out in the grounds."

The two of them, along with Hugo, got up and headed out into the Entrance Hall and out of the main doors. As they walked across the lawn to the greenhouses, they caught up with Alexander Abercrombie and another Gryffindor first year, who introduced himself as Kieran Finnegan.

The five of them loitered outside the greenhouses with the other Gryffindor first years. The Slytherins were standing in a little group apart from the Gryffindors.

Professor Longbottom joined them five minute later.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, ushering them into greenhouse one. "First morning's always busy. Now then, we're looking at fluxweed today, so I'd like you to get into pairs."

Lily and Mia gravitated towards each other. "Sorry Hugo," Lily grinned.

Mia looked around to see who else was left out. "It's alright," she said. "You can go with Lily, Hugo – I'll go with Rachel."  
Professor Longbottom walked around pairing each Gryffindor pair up with a Slytherin pair. Mia and Rachel found themselves with two Slytherin girls. They gathered around a tray of fluxweed, each pair ignoring the other pair.

"Now then," Professor Longbottom said, when everyone was grouped around the trays. "Who can give me an example of a use for fluxweed?"

Hugo put his hand up.

"Yes, Hugo?" Professor Longbottom said.

"Polyjuice potion," Hugo said.

"Exactly," Professor Longbottom said.

"Isn't that the one you have to put toenails in?" one of the girls opposite Mia and Rachel said, shuddering.

"It's usually hair, not toenails," Rachel said quietly.

"Brooke, did the mudblood just speak to me?" the girl said.

Lily, who was at the next table, dived across the room, her wand to the girl's throat.

"Take that back!" she said. "Or I'll hex you!"

"You don't know any hexes," the girl said disdainfully. "Get your wand out of my face."

"Enough," Professor Longbottom said, stepping between them. "Lily, put your wand away, or I'll take points from Gryffindor – yes from my own house. Ilonka, if I hear that kind of language from you again I won't keep you in my class. And that goes for everyone – no one in this school will tolerate derogatory language towards muggle-borns, or any kind of pure-blood supremacy, least of all me."

"Is that because you're muggle-born, sir?" one of the Slytherin boys asked.

"No, it's because I'm pureblood, but I don't think it matters," Professor Longbottom said. "Now, if you could all take out your copies of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, turn to page eight, and read the passage on fluxweed."

As they walked back up to the castle, and hour and a quarter later, Lily, Hugo and Mia discussed what they thought of the Slytherins.

"That Ilonka's horrible!" Lily said. "And I  
don't think much of Brooke, either."

"The two opposite us were alright," Hugo said. "And guess who Ruby is?"

"What do you mean 'who Ruby is'?" Lily said. "She's Ruby."

"Ruby McLaggan," Hugo grinned. "I saw it written in her book."

"McLaggan... wasn't he the one your mum went to some party with, just to annoy your dad?" Lily asked.

"Yep," Hugo grinned.

They met Louis outside the History of Magic classroom after break.

"What did you have first?" Lily asked.

"Double charms," Louis said. "Ravenclaws are swats. Everyone wants to answer _every_ question."

Lily grinned. "I told you you're too lazy for Ravenclaw," she said. "C'mon, let's go in a get good seats."

They went into the classroom and Lily and Mia sat right at the back, Hugo and Louis just in front of them. The most interesting thing that happened in History of Magic was the teacher, Professor Binns, the only ghost teacher, entering through the blackboard. Mia tried to listen as he droned on about the International Statute of Secrecy, which sounded like a vaguely interesting topic, but the monotonous tone of Professor Binns' voice was enough to put anyone to sleep, Mia particularly – she had always had a short attention span. Eventually, Hugo and Louis turned round in their seats, and Lily, Hugo and Mia filled Louis in on what had happened in Herbology.

"I thought people were above all that pure-blood supremacy," Louis said,

"I guess not," Lily shrugged. "Just wait till I do learn a hex I can use on her, though..."

"Don't stoop to her level," Hugo advised.

"I won't," Lily said. "Hexing is much more sophisticated than name calling."

Hugo continued trying to dissuade Lily from trying to hex Ilonka Kallous, but Mia knew it was useless; once Lily got something into her head she was rarely dissuaded.

The rest of the day passed all too quickly for Mia's liking, full of exciting new subjects; Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws where Professor Duncan turned his desk into an apple and back again, and then disappointed them all by saying that they had to learn the theory before they could transfigure anything; Charms with the Slytherins again, where Mia paired Lily and made sure she stayed well away from Ilonka Kallous; and then Defence Against the Dark Arts and Potions with the Hufflepuffs.

When they headed up to the Gryffindor Common Room after dinner, Mia considered going straight to bed.

"I suppose we better get started on our homework," Hugo said.

"Homework for Herbology and Transfiguration, and reading for Potions," Mia said, counting them off on her fingers as the three of them joined a large table that Roxanne and her friend were already sat at.

"Hi guys," Roxanne said, looking up from her piece of parchment. "How was your first day?"

The three of them spoke at once.

"Amazing," Hugo said.

"Good, but tiring," Mia said.

"Pretty good," Lily shrugged.

Roxanne laughed. "Made any enemies yet?" she asked.

"Lily threatened to hex a Slytherin girl in Herbology," Hugo offered, taking his copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi from his bag.

"What did she do?" Roxanne asked. "Scorgify," she muttered, clearing up an ink blot which had formed on her parchment as she held her quill over it as they talked.

"Called a muggle-born girl in our class a mudblood," Lily said.

"Who called who a mudblood?" James asked, walking over with Fred and Chris, and joining them at the table.

"A Slytherin in our year – Ilonka Kallous – called Rachel, a muggle-born in our class, mudblood," Lily said.

"Kallous?" Fred asked. "We know her sister Ana – she's our year. 'Mudblood's her favourite word too."

Mia was just about to ask the fifth years if they knew why the Kallous sisters went around calling everyone 'mudblood', when a voice boomed out over the common room.

"Sorry to have to use sonorous, guys, but I can't shout loud enough."

Mia looked around for the source of the voice. She soon saw – a tall blonde girl stood on a chair in the middle of the room.

"I just wanted to say that Quidditch tryouts are at ten on Saturday," she continued. "I'm Quidditch Captain this year, and I'm looking for two new beaters and a keeper."

"What about Chasers?" someone yelled.

"I'm happy with my chasers at the moment, thanks," the girl said.

James and Fred looked at each other, grinned and high-fived.

"Everyone's very welcome to come and watch the tryouts," the girl said, "especially first years who are thinking about joining the team next year. Quietus." She stepped down from the chair, and the rumble of conversations started up again.

"Who's that?" Mia asked.

"Danielle, my sister," Chris said.

"I'm gonna tryout for Beater," Roxanne said.

Fred laughed. "You? Roxy, you're a weedy little thing."

"You'll see," Roxanne grinned. "And the first thing I'll do in my first match is hit a Bludger right at you."


	7. Chapter Seven: Flying Lessons

**Chapter Seven**

**Flying Lessons**

In the next couple of days, Mia began to get used to life at Hogwarts. She was really enjoying her unusual classes, and beginning to learn her way around the castle. However, some things took longer to get used to, such as the crazy knight who followed you through seven floors down the breakfast challenging you to a duel, or Peeves, the Poltergeist, who delighted in making you jump by floating through walls right in front of you, or directing you the wrong way when you were lost, especially through doors that were really walls pretending to be doors, or down staircases with trick stairs that you sank down to your knee.

On Wednesday afternoon, the first years had their first flying lesson. Mia was nervous as she and her friends headed out to the grounds – they'd all be flying all their lives, whereas she had never even touched a broomstick before.

When they arrived at the Quidditch pitch, they found forty broomsticks, set out in four circles. Lily, Hugo and Mia bade goodbye to Louis, and headed over to join the rest of the Gryffindors, where Danielle Wood was standing in the middle of the circle.

"Right, is everyone here?" she asked, as the three of them took their places in the circle. There was one broom with a space next to it. "Are we still waiting for someone?"

"Alexander," Kieran Finnegan said. "There he is."

They all watched the figure in the distance running towards the pitch. When he arrived, Danielle addressed the group.

"Right, I want you to hold your hand out above your broom, and say, very firmly, 'up'."

She demonstrated, and her broom immediately sprang into her hand immediately.

"Up," Lily said, and her broom sprang into her hand too.

"Up," Hugo said. The broom twitched. "Aw, c'mon, UP!" His broom jumped up obediently too.

Mia was nervous to try – what if the broom just refused to move?

"Come on, Mia," Lily said.

Mia sighed. "Up," she said firmly, and, to her surprise, the broom soared up into her outstretched hand. She felt it tingling against her palm, ready to fly.

By degrees, everyone else's brooms found their way to their hands, although Mia saw Alexander Abercrombie surreptitiously bend down and pick up his broom when Danielle wasn't watching.

"Now then," Danielle said, "when you're ready, I want you to kick off hard from the ground, and rise up just a few feet," Danielle said. She demonstrated, hovering three or four feet off the ground. "Now you try."

Lily and Hugo immediately rose up and hovered, level with Danielle. Alexander rose up a few feet, then tipped forwards, and fell, head first, off of his broom. Rachel couldn't even get off the ground. Mia kicked off, and effortlessly rose up to join Hugo, Lily, and a handful of others who could fly, more or less. She was surprised at how easy it all was – she had been expecting a similar experience to Alexander or Rachel.

"Watch," Lily said, tilting her broom upwards and climbing to six or seven feet.

"Lily," Hugo sighed, "you'll get into trouble."

"Spoilsport," Lily said, her boot brushing the top of Hugo's head as she hovered above him.

"Lily Potter, come back down!" Lily yelled.

"But I _can _go higher," Lily said sulkily, tilting her broom forwards and coming back to join Hugo and Mia.

"You can, but I said only a few feet," Danielle said firmly. "So if you do something I've told you not to again, you'll spend the rest of the lesson on the ground."

In the next hour, Danielle taught them how to tilt forward and land, how to fly forward, and how to turn. Mia found herself easily able to keep up with Lily and Hugo, who were clearly the best fliers in the class.

"Shall we go and watch the Quidditch tryouts on Saturday?" Mia suggested tentatively as they headed up to the castle for dinner.

"Sure," Hugo shrugged. "We ought to go support Roxy – cuz you can bet on your life the older cousins'll just mock her."

"But good for her if she gets on the team," Lily said. "D'you know anyone else who's trying out?"

"No one else from the family, if that's what you mean," Hugo said. "There's only Al and Rose who are in Gryffindor but not on the team. And seriously, have you seen Rose on a broom?"

"Al _can_ fly," Lily said. "But I think he doesn't want to be compared to Dad."

"He's already got the hair, the eyes and the glasses," Hugo said. "All he needs now is the scar and the Quidditch legend."

"Exactly," Lily said.

Saturday morning dawned clear, with a lingering frost. Mia woke early, and attempted to finish off a Charms essay before breakfast. However, her mind kept wandering, to the Quidditch pitch outside where, in her mind, she was flying even higher than Lily had flown yesterday. But the charms essay – yes, that was what she was supposed to be doing - was difficult. Mia considered asking Lily for help, but no – Lily had her own homework to do, and anyway, Mia didn't want Lily to know she couldn't do the homework.

As ten o'clock approached, Lily, Hugo and Mia headed down to the Quidditch pitch, along with Louis, who had tagged along to support Roxanne. The four of them settled themselves in the stands to watch the tryouts.

Keeper tryouts were first – each prospective keeper took two penalties from each Chaser. There were seven or eight keepers to get through, and, an hour later, Danielle announced, using the Sonorous Charm again, that the new Keeper would be Will Darrow, who was also Head Boy.

Then it was time for the Beater tryouts. There were only four prospective Beaters, and Danielle set them up playing a sort of match, with Fred, James and the teams seeker, acting as a third Chaser so Danielle could watch, scoring against Will, and the Beaters in two pairs, one protecting the Chasers, the others sending the Bludgers towards them.

The play was good, as all the Beaters were reasonable fliers. After swapping the roles and pairs around several times, Danielle announced that the team's new Beaters would be Mary Cattermole and Roxanne Weasley.

Mia saw Fred pull one of Roxanne's long pig-tails and hug her as she landed beside him. Roxanne grinned – Mia could tell her brother's approval meant everything to her.

The new team, rejected members and supporters headed up to the castle for lunch together. Lily, Hugo and Mia found themselves walking with Will.

"So, how's your first week been, guys?" he asked.

"Good," Lily nodded. "I guess I won't tell you about the girl I want to hex, seeing as you're head boy..."

"Probably best not to," Will grinned.

"How come you've never tried out for the team before, if you're in seventh year?" Hugo asked.

"Because they already had a really good keeper, Olivia Wood, who was in the year above me," Will said. "I've played as a reserve a few times, though."

"Will," Mia said tentatively. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure," Will said. "Go on, you guys – we'll catch you up."

Lily and Hugo walked on, and Will turned to Mia.

"So. What did you want to talk to me about?"

Mia didn't like to ask for help, but this was something she really wanted, and something that she couldn't do without help. "What qualities do you need to have to be a Keeper?" she asked eventually.

Will grinned. "Trying to decide if I'm good enough?" he asked.

"No..." Mia said. "I just wondered..."

"Well, I guess it's less about what goes on on the broom, and more about what goes on up here," Will said, tapping his head. "You have to have quick reflexes and good instincts, and then of course be able to turn quickly."

"You'll be leaving next year, so Gryffindor will need another Keeper," Mia said.

"That's true," Will nodded. "What are you thinking?"

"We had our first flying lesson on Wednesday, and I found it pretty easy," Mia said. "I didn't think I would, but I could keep up with Lily and Hugo, and they've been flying all their life. "And, at Primary School, whenever we played football or netball I always played goalkeeper."

"You fancy yourself as keeper?" Will asked.

"Well, yeah..." Mia said. "But I might not be any good at it..."

"Well, I tell you what," Will said. "The first Gryffindor practice is Thursday night at seven. Why don't you come down to the pitch at half six, and I'll give you half an hour's coaching – see you fly, try and put a couple goals past you, that sort of thing."

"You'd do that?" Mia asked.

"Sure," Will said.

"And Will," Mia said. "Could you... please could you not tell anyone about this?"

"I'll have to tell Danielle to get the key so we can use the Quaffle," Will said. "But apart from that, I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to."

"Thanks," Mia said. "I just think people like James and Fred would tease... and if no one knows and then I' rubbish, I'll be saved the humiliation."

"I'm sure you won't be rubbish," Will said. "Anyway, we better get going – I've got a prefect's meeting this afternoon, so I need to get some lunch."  
The two of them walked into the castle together in silence. When they reached the Great Hall, they parted - Will going to sit with some fellow seventh years, and Mia joining the Weasley clan, who tended to sit together at weekends.

"What was that all about?" Will asked as Mia sat down between her and Hugo's sister Rose.

"Nothing," Mia said, deciding that, at least for the time being, Quidditch would be her own little secret.


	8. Chapter Eight: Glory and Goalhoops

**Chapter Eight**

**Glory and Goalhoops**

If History of Magic was the most boring lesson on timetable, then Modern History of Magic was one of the most interesting. As Professor Nilsson explained in their first lesson, Professor Binns' refusal to teach anything which had happened since his death was all well and good, but a lot of important things had happened in the last hundred years, not least two Wizarding Wars and the defeat of the greatest Dark Wizard who had ever lived.

Lots of the students enjoyed listening to the roles their parents and grandparents had played in the wars; the Longbottom twin's father had lead the resistance from within Hogwarts; Andy Cattermole, younger brother of Mary, one of the Gryffindor beaters' grandfather had been impersonated by Hugo's dad, inadvertently rescuing his grandmother from persecution as a muggleborn.

As class filed into the Modern History of Magic classroom on the Tuesday following the Quidditch tryouts, Professor Nilsson was writing as list of names on the blackboard. Mia read the beginning of the list: 'Cedric Diggory, Sirius Black, Emmerline Vance, Amelia Bones, Heather Abbott...'

The class waited in silence for five minutes as Professor Nilsson finished the list. Some of them recognised some names on the list and had a good idea of what it was.

"This is a list of the people who died in the Second Wizarding War," he said, turning back to the class as he concluded with 'Colin Creevey, Severus Snape, Tom Riddle.' "It may not be a complete list, but it is fairly definitive. These are the people who died making our world the safe place it is today."

"But sir," Kieran Finnagan said, raising his hand, "weren't some of them on Voldermort's side. They weren't fighting to make our world safe."

"Mr Finnagan, Wizarding Wars are not like muggle wars," Professor Nillson said. "Most muggle wars are countries fighting other countries; you can determine someone's allegiance by the country they belong to. Wizarding Wars are not so clear cut. The war was only won with the assistance of several people who were namely on what you call 'the dark side', but, more often than not, gave their lives to ensure Voldermort's downfall."

"Like who?" Alexander Abercrombie wanted to know.

"People such as Regulus Black, Narcissa Malfory and Severus Snape," Professor Nilsson said. "Black's role will be discussed when you're older, Narcissa Malfoy we'll cover briefly now, and Severus Snape... well that brings us onto the topic for the next few lessons."

"Al's middle name's Severus, after Snape," Lily told Mia in a whisper.

"Narcissa Malfoy was not a Death Eater-"

"Professor, what's a Death Eater?" Derek Downer, a Ravenclaw Boy, asked.

"The name Voldermort's supporters gave themselves," Professor Nilsson said. "A Death Eater could be identified by the Dark Mark – Voldermort's symbol – burnt into their arm. Narcissa Malfoy was not a Death Eater, but several memebers of her family were, and she was within Voldermort's inner circle.

"When Voldermort fired the curse he believed would kill Harry Potter, during the Battle of Hogwarts, he sent Narcissa Malfoy to check if he was dead, she lied – lied to Voldermort, which isn't an easy thing to do – and told him Harry Potter was dead when he wasn't.

"We cannot know why she did this, but I believe she no longer cared who won; she just wanted her family to be safe. Whilst many argue that this was a selfish motive, it still remains that if Narcissa Malfoy had not lied, it would be doubtful that Harry Potter would then be able to go on to defeat Voldermort."

"Sir," Louis said. "What I don't get is why Uncle Harry didn't die, when Voldermort tried to kill him."  
"Again, I'm afraid that is something we will cover when you're older," Professor Nilsson said. "And now, onto Severus Snape. I want you to take notes. Severus Snape was born on the 5th of January 1960, to Eileen Prince, a pure-blood witch, and Tobias Snape, a muggle..."

That evening, in the House Common Room, Louis ignored his homework and wrote a long letter to Harry Potter. The Weasley's had decided to all work together that night, and so had claimed the largest table in the common room. There were twelve of them: Dominique, Louis, Molly, Lucy, Fred, Roxanne, Rose, Hugo, James, Al, Lily and Mia, who, despite her protests that she wasn't actually a Weasley, had given into the other's insistence that they had adopted her as a Weasley.

"He won't tell you," Al said, reading Louis' letter over his shoulder. "You'll get the old 'you're too young to understand.'

"Patience, my friend," James said annoyingly. "I'm sure the grown-ups will tell ickle Louie-kins when they fink he's old enough."

"Shut up, James," Louis said. "Hey, do you know?"

"Course," James shrugged. "It's OWL material, isn't it; how Harry Potter survived the killing curse multiple times. Dad tried to explain it to me in the summer."  
"Why tried?" Lily wanted to know.

"Cuz it's confusing, Lils," James told her. "Anyway, shut up you lot – I have a potions essay to write."

On Thursday evening, Mia left dinner before Lily and Hugo, telling them she was going to ask Professor Longbottom about the Herbology homework, and then go and watch the Gryffindor Quidditch practice. Hugo told Mia she was mad to waste her evening watching Quidditch practice when they had so much homework to do, whilst Lily took one look at the light drizzle peppering the high window and said 'rather you than me.'

When Mia arrived at the Quidditch pitch, Will was already in the air, flying in and out of the goalhoops with a red Quaffle tucked under his arm. There was a broom lying on the ground by the foot of the goal hoops and Mia mounted it, kicked off and rose up to join Will. The goalhoops were about fifty feet tall, and Mia had only flown up to about twenty feet before, but she's wasn't scared. Well... maybe a little, but that soon passed when she got on the broom.

"Hey," Will said, coming to a halt as Mia hovered in mid-air beside him. "I thought we'd try some passes first, see what your reflexes are like." He threw the Quaffle at Mia, and she caught it. "Good," Will said. After several more passes, he got her to keep one hand on the broom and use the other to catch the Quaffle. Mia was pleasantly surprised that she managed to catch most of them.

Will threw the Quaffle at Mia and this time it slipped through her fingertips. She dived to catch it, and found herself tipping forwards over the front of her broom. Will caught her before she actually fell off.

"Careful," he grinned, steading her back on her broom. "Good job Keepers don't have to dive much, eh?"

"Sorry," Mia said sheepishly. "I'm obviously not as good a flyer as I thought."

"You're a damn good flier for someone your age," Will said. "And if I didn't know you'd only had two flying lessons, I'd probably say you'd been doing it all your life."

"Really?" Mia asked.

"Really," Will said. "You're a natural, Mia. Anyway," he looked at his watch. "The others'll be down for practice soon."

"Is it alright if I stay and watch?" Mia asked as the two of them landed by the goalhoops.

"Sure," Will said. "But don't you have homework to do?"

"Yeah..." Mia said. "But noting that can't wait until tomorrow of the weekend."

She settled herself into the stands as the rest of the team began to arrive. As Danielle put the team through their paces, Mia watched Will. She could tell he kept his eyes on the Quaffle the whole time – he didn't take his eyes off it even when the seeker made a dive for the snitch.

Mia found herself getting distracted by James and Fred's antics. The two of them were obviously getting bored, and flew higher and higher, passing the Quaffle between them, ignoring Danielle's yells for them to come back down. Then James dropped the Quaffle and dived over a hundred feet, catching it and pulling out of the dive as Fred also returned to normal playing height.

"Do you two want to win the Quidditch cup?" Danielle bellowed, her voice clearly audible, without the sonorous charm. "Well, how about showing it, then?"

For the next hour, the two of them behaved themselves, apart from occasionally soaring off in the direction of the other goal hoops ('sorry, Danielle – I thought we were shooting this way!')

After the practice finished, Mia walked back up to the castle with the team.

"So, what's the secret to blocking every goal?" Mia asked Will.

"I didn't block _every_ goal," Will grinned. "I guess it's mostly about knowing your opponent. Take Fred for example - his eyes give it away; they always flick in the direction he's gonna aim just before he shoots. And, if James has the time, he'll always double bluff – feint one way, feint the other, and then shoot the first way again."

When the team reached the Gryffindor common room, it was packed full. Lily and Hugo were sat by the fire, Hugo patiently trying to teach Lily Wizard's chess.

"Why can't I move my knight there?" Lily was asking.

"Apart from the fact that I'd take you with my queen and checkmate you, a knight can only move in an L shape – two squares in one direction and one in another," Hugo explained patiently as Mia sat down in the armchair next to him. "Oh, hi Mia. How was Quidditch?"

"Good," Mia said, and started telling them about James and Fred's one hundred foot climb.


	9. Chapter Nine: Ilonka Kallous

**Chapter Nine**

**Ilonka Kallous**

As the days turned into weeks, Mia found it hard that she'd been at Hogwarts for a whole month. In some ways, it felt like only yesterday she'd bade goodbye to her parents at platform nine and three quarters; in other ways it felt like she'd been there all her life.

As September blurred into October, the first Quidditch match of the season – Gryffindor vs Slytherin – approached, and with it came the heightened animosity between the two houses. All the players had to endure taunts and jeers in the corridors, and James and Fred confronted Rose and Albus in the common room one night and told them to stay away from their friend Scorpius because he was the Slytherin seeker. This then sparked a massive row between James and Albus, with Al saying that he would never talk to Scorpius about Quidditch tactics. It was only prevented from going violent by several people casting shield charms between them.

As they waited outside the charms classroom two days before the match, Ilonka Kallous was telling her gang of Slytherin girls what she thought of the Gryffindor team.

"You see, the thing is, _we've_ got generations of talent on our team," she was saying. "You can't say the same of the other teams, seeing as who they're full of mudbloods. Take Gryffindor for example. What were they thinking putting Darrow on the team? I mean, he's a mudblood, he probably can't tell one end of the broom from the from the other. And Cattermole's not much better – her family's full of mudboods, and if she's anything like her brother... well, it looks like Slytherin'll have an easy victory. And don't get me started on Potter."

Mia grabbed Lily's arm, wanting to prevent a duel – unlike the first morning Lily and Ilonka both knew some spells.

"Potter's so full of himself and his head's so big, it's a wonder he can get his broom off the ground. Just because he's related to the Weasley's – and c'mon, who'd really want to be related to a bunch of ugly red-haired blood traitors – he thinks he's something. Sure, his parents were both Quidditch players, but we all know his father only got on the team because he's the 'Boy who Lived'."

Lily wrenched her arm out of Mia's grip and marched up to Ilonka, wand out. Ilonka drew her wand too.

"Go on," she said cooly. "Hex me. We all know what I've said is true, though. Your brother _is_ a stuck up brat. My mother says it's all to do with upbringing – even half-bloods can turn out as mudbloods if they're not brought up right."

"Shut up, you little hag!" Lily said. "Petrificus Totalus!"

"Locomotor Mortis!" Ilonka shouted, a split second too late. Lily's spell made her arms snap to her sides, her legs went rigid and she keeled over. Lily walked back over to Mia and Hugo.

"You'll get into trouble," Hugo warned. "Even if they managed to get her unstuck," he glanced over at where Ilonka's gang of Slytherin girls were discussing the counter jinx, "she won't keep her mouth shut – she'll tell someone."

"I don't care!" Lily said. "Someone's got to show her she can't insult our family and get away with it! And Hugo, why didn't you back me up? That's your cousin she's calling big headed."

"Yeah, but Lil, you've got to admit she's got a point," Hugo said. "James is a bit full of himself."

"No he's not!" Lily said.

Mia tended to agree with Hugo, but she decided it was best not to vocalise it. One of Ilonka's friends had freed her from the full body bind and she marched over to Lily, wand out. Just before she reached her, the door opened and Professor Flitwick ushered the class inside. Hug and Mia took Lily's arms and led her to a seat as far away from Ilonka as possible.

At the end of the lesson, Lily stormed out of the classroom as soon as the bell rang. Mia and Hugo found her pacing in the courtyard five minutes later. As they headed over to join her, they saw James approaching her from the opposite direction.

"Hey, Lils," he said. "What's up?"

Lily hugged her brother. "You're not big headed," she said into his shoulder.

James grinned, hugging her back. "Maybe I am a bit," he admitted.

"No you're not!" Lily said insistently.

"Who says I am?" James asked.

"Ilonka Kallous," Hugo said. "In her systematic insulting of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team."

"It's just game tactics, Lils," James told her. "They do it every year. You've just gotta grow a thicker skin."

"I can't just stand back and let people insult my family," Lily said stubbornly.

"Well, you might have to if you don't want to get detention," James said. "You've gotta let them know they don't bother you."

"But they do!" Lily said.

"But if they know that, then they'll keep doing it," James explained patiently. "If you ignore them, eventually they'll get bored."

The bell for the end of break rang, and James hugged Lily again.

"Don't let them get to you, and don't lose your temper," he told her.

On Saturday morning, Lily, Hugo and Mia joined the Gryffindor team for an early breakfast. Mia could see that nerves were affecting them all in different ways. James and Fred were talking and joking a lot louder than usual. Roxanne was shovelling food down so fast, Fred warned her to stop or she'd throw up, which them prompted him and James to mime throwing up in mid-air, and Mary Cattermole to leave the table to actually throw up. Danielle and her brother Samuel, who played seeker, were both very quiet, and Will looked as pales as the grey sky visible through the high windows.

"You'll be fine," Lily was telling them all. "You'll hammer Slytherin. Won't they, Mia?"

"Yeah," Mia agreed – it was usually best to agree with Lily - although not sure she was the right person to ask. Sure, she'd watched almost every Gryffindor practice since September, but having never seen Quidditch before, she couldn't tell how good they were.

"You have to hammer them to stop Ilonka gloating," Lily continued. "I don't care what they say; you're all really good."

"We know," James grinned. "It's alright, Lily; no one cares what Slytherin thinks."

The Great Hall gradually filled up around them, with lots of Slytherins taking a detour over to the Gryffindor team. James had to grab Lily's arm several times to stop her reacting to the jeers, but the team themselves laughed and took it in their stride.

Eventually, the team headed down to the pitch, to jeers from the Slytherin table and cheers from the other tables. Half an hour later, the students began to follow them. Lily, Hugo and Mia met Louis on the way down to the pitch and sat with him in the stands.

The captains – Danielle Wood and a tall Slytherin boy – shook hands, Madam Hooch blew the whistle, and fourteen players kicked off hard from the ground and soared into the air.

"And they're off!" a voice boomed. Mia looked around and say a boy she vaguely recognised as Mackenzie Walter, the boy who'd called out in the start of term feast, sat on a podium shouting into a megaphone. "And it's Belby of Slytherin with the Quaffle. He passes to Mc- oh no he doesn't; it's intercepted by Potter of Gryffindor. Potter passes to Weasley, who-"

Mia watched as a bludger soared towards Fred and hit him in the back. Winded, he dropped the Quaffle, and it was snatched up by a Slytherin player, who headed off towards the goal hoops, where Will hovered, his eyes fixed on the bright red ball.

"And after that nasty bludger from... but who was it from?" Mackenzie said.

Mia looked around. Both the Slytherin beaters were up the other end of the pitch, but Roxanne was hovering ten feet away from Fred, grinning.

"Did Weasley's own sister just hit a bludger at him?" Mackenzie wondered aloud.

Fred turned around on his broom and started yelling inaudibly at Roxanne, who just laughed. Lily, Hugo and Mia hooted with laughter.

"She did say she'd hit a bludger at him if she made the team," Hugo grinned.

Danielle flew up to Fred and started yelling at him to get back in the game, just as Mackenzie announced, "Slytherin score!"

Mia looked to the Gryffidor goalhoops, where Will was hitting his head repeatedly with the flat of his hand, whilst the Slytherin chaser retrieved the Quaffle so play could resume. Mia could guess what'd happened – he'd taken his eyes off the Quaffle to watch Fred and Roxanne.

In the next ten minutes, Gryffindor took play firmly back in hand. Having fulfilled her threat to hit a bludger at her brother, Roxanne now worked well with Mary Cattermole, sending bludgers at the Slytherin players with such ferocity that Mackenzie only wondered aloud why the beaters were the two weediest looking players on the team once, and Danielle, James and Fred scored a goal apiece, making the score 30-10 to Gryffindor.

Mia let Mackenzie's commentary keep her informed on what was going on with the Chasers and the Quaffle, and instead watched Samuel Wood and Rose and Albus' friend Scorpius Malfoy, the Slytherin seeker. The two boys were both circling the pitch, high above playing height, keeping their eyes peeled for that glimmer of gold that could end the match.

Even as she watched, Scorpius dived. The crowd sat on the edge of their seats as Samuel Wood dived after him.

"And Slytherin seeker Malfoy is closing in on the snitch. Wood's hot on his heel, but with Malfoy's lead could this be an early end to the match?" Mackenzie shouted over the din.

"Someone hit a bludger at him!" Lily yelled, but Roxanne was already on it. Scorpius managed to dodge the bludger, but in the time that took him, the snitch had disappeared. Play resumed abruptly with James taking advantage of the momentary distraction to score two successive goals for Gryffindor.

As the match lengthened, Mia tried to watch Will more and more, taking a mental note of his absolute concentration, which didn't waver even when the Gryffindor stands swelled with the song 'Weasley is our King', which was apparently an old favourite, nor when Slytherin were awarded a penalty because Fred had deliberately flown into Warrington, the smallest player on the Slytherin team. He let in a couple more goals, but Gryffindor scored a lot more.

"GRYFFINDOR SCORE!" Mackenzie yelled. "And that's Weasley of Gryffindor, bringing the total up to 180-30 to Gryffindor."

'Weasley is our King' swelled up once more from the stands.

"And Belby passes to McLaggan, back to Belby, intercepted by Wood, Wood passes to Potter, to Weasley, back to Potter, and it's James Potter of Gryffindor heading for goal. Can anyone stop him? NO! GRYFFINDOR SCORE! 190-30 TO GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor stands erupted with cheers, but Mia had spotted something the others hadn't. Samuel Wood was diving, heading for a golden glint at the foot of the Slytherin goal hoops. As Scorpius dived after him, the rest of the crowd caught up, Mackenzie included.

"And Wood and Malfoy are both diving for the snitch. Wood's in the lead, but Malfoy's gaining on him... now they're neck and neck... now Malfoy's ahead, but what's he doing?"

"Why isn't he catching it?" Mia yelled over the noise of the crowd. Scorpius was feet from the snitch, but he wasn't trying to catch it; just attempting to block Wood.

"Gryffindor are over 150 points up!" Lily yelled back. "If he catches it now he'll still lose."

Wood had forced his way past Scorpius and his outstretched hand had almost reached the snitch... when Scorpius closed his own hand around it.

"SLYTHERIN SEEKER MALFOY CATCHES THE SNITCH BRINGING THE SCORES TO 190-180 TO GRYFFINDOR! MALFOY CATCHES THE SNITCH, BUT GRYFFINDOR WIN!"

Mia cheered along with the rest of the Gryffindors, and as the stands began to empty she followed Lily and Hugo down onto the pitch to congratulate the players.

When they reached the pitch, Scorpius was defending himself against a verbal onslaught from his team mates.

"I did it for the points!" he was yelling. "If I hadn't Wood would have caught it and Gryffindor would be over three hundred points up, rather than just ten! This way, we can still win if we win our other matches!"  
"Well done, guys," Lily said, bounding up to the team. "Nice bludger, Roxy."

"Which one?" Roxanne grinned. "The one I sent at Fred, or the one that stopped Scorp getting the snitch?"

"Both," Lily said.

Fred picked Roxanne up and tossed her over his shoulder in a fireman's lift.

"Put me down!" she squealed. "Put me down!"

"Nu-uh, this is revenge," Fred grinned. "I get to carry you all the way up to the castle like this!"

"Put me down!" Roxanne squealed as Fred ran off towards the castle with her.

"Party in the Common Room!" James yelled, running after them.


	10. Chapter Ten: Potions With The Hufflepuff

**Chapter Ten**

**Potions With The Hufflepuffs**

The day following the Quidditch match was Mia's twelfth birthday. She hadn't been expecting anyone to remember, but Lily woke her up with a chorus of happy birthday, which Alice, Frankie and Rachel joined in with once they'd got over the annoyance of being woken up. There was a pile of presents at the foot of her bed – from her friends and parents – and James and Fred presented her with a large cake in the house common room, (courtesy of the house elves'). Although the evening was spent doing homework which she shouldn't have left until Sunday night, Mia really enjoyed her first birthday at Hogwarts.

After the first Quidditch match, talk started turning to the Triwizard Tournament, and who'd be putting themselves forward for champion. Some, such as Gryffinodr sixth year Mason Witt were very vocal about it, others very private, so although rumours were flying around no one was quite sure who had put themselves forward until dinner the night before Halloween when Professor McGonngal announced that she and seven students would be heading off to Beaxbatons the following morning. The first years all listened intently to see if there was anyone they knew, but apart from Mason Witt they were all people they'd never heard of, or only vaguely remembered passing in the corridors.

After breakfast on Halloween morning, lessons were delayed by half an hour so everyone could see the prospective champions off.

"I wish they could just have cancelled the whole day of lessons," Lily said later in the day when they headed down to the dungeons for potions.

"They don't even when the Tournament's at Hogwarts," Hugo said, as they queued outside the door.

Professor Cooke opened the door to the Potions classroom, and the class filed in. The tables seated either four or six, and the rule was that there had to be at least on Gryffindor and one Hufflepuff at each table. Lily and Mia found themselves at a table with two Hufflepuff girls, whist Hugo sat with Alexander Abercrombie, Kieran Finnigan and three and three Hufflepuff boys.

The first years set about brewing their potions, Professor Cooke walking around the dungeon and making suggestions.

Before the end of their first week of school, Mia had discovered that Zoe Davies, one of the Hufflepuff girls they usually shared a table with, was just as much of a chatterbox as Lily. Mia and Cassie Andrews, Zoe's friend, usually let the other two do the talking, and concentrated on their potions.

Mia stirred her potion. "It says it's meant to be red now," she said, looking at her resolutely orange solution."

"It's almost red," Cassie said. "I think you just need to stir it some more."

Professor Cooke appeared by their table. "Yes, that's right – just keep stirring it," she said.

"Cassie, yours is looking good. Lily and Zoe, less talk, more work, please."

"Have you brewed potions before?" Mia asked Cassie as she stirred her potion. "At home?"

"A bit," Cassie shrugged, adding crushed scarab beetles to her potion. "I like potions."  
"You're definitely the best in the class," Mia said, as her potion finally turned the desired shade of red, and she began to crush her scarab beetles.

Cassie shook her head. "I don't think so," she said.

"Well I think so," Mia said.

"I agree," Zoe put in, and then resumed her debate with Lily about whether Charms or Transfiguration was a harder class.

"See," Mia grinned, preparing to add her beetles to her potion.

"You might want to crush them more finely," Cassie said, as her potion turned slowly from red to purple to blue.

"Thanks," Mia said, crushing her beetles some more, and then adding them to her potion, which followed Cassie's example and turned purple and then blue. Lily and Zoe, who hadn't spent much time crushing their beetles were wondering why their potions were resolutely stuck on indigo.

"See, how did you know that?" Mia asked.

Cassie shrugged. "Just instinct, I guess."

"Wish I had that instinct," Mia sighed, cutting up some roots.

At 2:15, the first years headed down to the Quidditch pitch for their weekly flying lesson. Today they were divided into different ability groups. Mia, along with Lily, Hugo and half a dozen other first years were in a group taught by Madam Hooch. She had them flying in and out of the goal hoops and passing the Quaffle to each other. Mia noticed that Lily couldn't help showing off a little, although her flying in tight circles backfired when she was then so dizzy she almost fell off her broom.

After the flying lesson finished, everyone headed towards the Great Hall for the Halloween feast.

"Woah," Hugo said as they entered the Great Hall. The house tables had been replaced with several dozen round tables, each lit by a carved pumpkin. There were live bats hanging from the rafters, and the ghosts had come out in full force. The three of them sat down at a table and were soon joined by Louis, followed by Rose, Albus, Scorpius Malfoy, James, Fred and Chris Wood.

Professor Longbottom stood up, and the Hall feel silent.

"Welcome to the Halloween Feast," he said. "I have received word from Professor McGonnagal that she and the Hogwarts students arrived safely at Beaxbatons Academy an hour ago. As soon as I know who has been selected as Hogwarts Champion, I will let you know. But now, let the feast begin."

Everyone started eating, narrated by James, Fred and Chris retelling the story of how three members of their Defence Against the Dark Arts class had gone to the hospital wing with their faces covered in blistering boils.

"And you guys swear you had nothing to do with it?" Albus grinned. "Yeah right..."

"Well, we might have been testing new products for Dad's shop..." Fred said. "Mightent we, guys?"

"Maybe," James agreed.

"We might," Chris admitted.

"So, when will we be seeing this new elusive product in the shop?" Lily asked.

"Not yet," Fred laughed.

"Yeah, it's definitely not ready," James grinned. "Hey, we've got some other stuff we were thinking of asking for testers for in the House Common room."

"No one will volunteer," Rose said. "Who'd want blistering boils? No thank you!"

"It's a different product," Fred said. "No boils. Honest."

"I still agree with Rose – no one'll volunteer if they knew what's good for them," Scorpius said.

"We'd be paying them," James said.

"Yeah," Fred said. "My Dad's given us some money."

"Even so," Hugo said. "It would have to be a lot of money..."

The following evening Professor Longbottom announced at dinner that Jep Stebbins, a seventh-year Ravenclaw, had been selected as Hogwarts champion. There was tumulus applause from the Ravenclaw table, and a polite smattering of applause from the rest of the houses.

"So, you didn't fancy being champion?" Mia asked Will as the two of them walked down to the Quidditch pitch after dinner.

"Nah," Will said, shaking his head. "Besides, I've got too many responsibilities here – Quidditch and head boy stuff. And I want to make sure I do the best I can in my NEWTs this year – don't need the distractions."

They reached the pitch, and went to the broom shed to pick the best of the school brooms for Mia.

"I wish first years could have their own brooms," she sighed, picking out the Cleansweep 48 with a frown.

"Next year," Will grinned. "Right, let's get going."

The next morning the Gryffindors spent the first three periods with the Ravenclaws. Louis spent the whole time talking about 'If I was Hogwarts Champion'. By the end of Modern History of Magic, Lily, Hugo and Mia were all fed up of him, and glad to see the back of him as they headed down to the Dungeons for Potions, parting in the entrance hall as Louis headed up to the second floor and Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Lily and Mia joined Zoe and Cassie at their usual table, and Zoe and Lily picked up their debate where they left off yesterday.

"Ready to come top of the class again?" Mia asked Cassie with a grin.

Cassie didn't smile back. "I'm not that good," she muttered, flipping through her copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.

"Hey, are you alright?" Mia asked.

"I'm fine," Cassie muttered, turning away and talking something out of her bag.

Professor Cooke walked into the Dungeon, and there was no further opportunity for talking.

As they streamed up the stairs at the end of the lesson for lunch, Mia asked Lily if she thought Cassie had seemed weird. She hadn't spoken for the rest of the lesson.

"No?" Lily said. "Did she? I didn't notice."

"That's because you were too busy arguing with Zoe..." Mia grinned.


	11. Chapter Eleven: Christmas

**Chapter Eleven**

**Christmas**

On the evening of the last day of term before the Christmas holiday Lily, Hugo, Louis and Mia gathered in the House Common Room with some other first years for a massive game of exploding snap. By quarter to eight they all had singed eyebrows. As Hugo helped Alexander pack up the cards, which were still exploding regularly, Louis turned and surveyed the group.

"So," he said. "Our first term at Hogwarts. It's gone quick, hasn't it?"

"Not that quick..." Lily said, continuing plating Zoe's hair.

"Well, I thought it was pretty quick," Louis said. "One term down, however many to go."

"Twenty," Cassie said quietly.

Louis rounded on her. "How did you do that so quickly?"

Cassie shrugged. "Seven years, three terms in each, so twenty one, one down, twenty to go."

"I guess we better get back to Gryffindor Tower," Hugo said, standing up. First and second years had to be back in their own common rooms by eight o'clock.

The first years parted at the end of the corridor, with Zoe, Cassie and Ben Finch-Fletchley headed down to their basement common room and the others continuing up the next flight of stairs. The Gryffidors said goodbye to Louis on the fifth floor, as he was taking a shortcut to Ravenclaw Tower.

When they reached Gryffindor tower, James, Fred and Chris were selling some Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes seasonal products – bouncing baubles, magical seasoning which claimed to make sprouts taste like chocolate and a whole range of trick crackers James and Fred had spent all summer helping Fred's dad develop. They appeared to be doing a roaring trade.

Lily pushed her way through the crowd towards James, Fred and Chris, Hugo and Mia following in her wake, as usual.

"Sold much?" Lily asked her brother as they finally reached the front.

"Heaps," James grinned. "And we've persuaded Uncle George to up our cut to 15% this year because our time is more precious now we're fifth years."

"Yeah, cuz you're really studying hard for your exams," Lily grinned, picking up one of the bouncing baubles.

"Six sickles," James said, holding out his hand.

"I'm your sister," Lily protested. "And I don't want it anyway." She returned the bauble to the pile, where it was soon snatched up by an eager second year, who paid James the required six sickles quite happily.

Lily pushed her way back out of the crowd, and the three of them found a quiet corner of the common room and spent the next few hours pretending they weren't tired and refusing to admit defeat and go to bed.

The next morning was a flurry of activity as everyone who was going home for Christmas (which was most of the school) got onto the Hogwarts express and headed back to Kings Cross. Mia discovered that it was a Weasley tradition to all share a compartment on the way back for Christmas. The rest of the year they mostly sat with friends in their years, but, as Lily put it: 'Christmas is a family time.' Mia had begun to mumble 'I'll go sit with Zoe and Cassie then,' but they had all assured her that she _was_ family.

When they reached Kings Cross Station, Mia saw her parents waiting on the platform, along with Lily's parents. She was one of the first off the train, and ran straight into her mum's outstretched arms.

"I've missed you, Mia," her mum said, hugging her tightly.

"I've missed you too, Mum," Mia said.

"Have you had a good term?" her dad asked, picking up her truck.

"Yeah!" Mia said enthusiastically. "I've got so much to tell you!"

The three of them headed through the barrier and out into Kings Cross Station proper, Mia carrying Felix, who was hooting dolefully in his cage. "Go to sleep," she told him firmly. "You're meant to be nocturnal."

"Well, there's definitely stuff from your letters I'd like clarification on," Mia's dad said, lifting her trunk into the boot of the car. "Apart from all the words I don't understand, your handwriting's not that easy to read."

"You can talk," Mia's mum grinned. "She obviously gets it from you."

The three of them get into the car, and Mia's dad pulled out into the London traffic.

"This is so slow," Mia yawned. "If we had brooms we could just fly in and out of all the cars."

Her dad laughed. "I think the word 'broomstick' has appeared in every single one of your letters," he said.

"Well, I like flying," Mia grinned. "Will thinks I'm pretty good, so..."

"Who's Will?" her dad asked.

"The head boy," her mum told him. "Keeper on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. You see, I don't just read you letters, Mia; I remember them."

Sitting in the back of the car, Mia smiled to herself. She was glad her mum was taking an interest in what was taking an interest in what she was doing at school – it showed she was accepting the fact that her daughter was a witch.

When they eventually got home, Mia discovered that the Christmas decorations weren't up – they usually went up at the beginning of December.

"There's no Christmas!" was the first thing she said when she walked through the front door.

Her mum laughed. "We thought we could put them all up together," she said. "Maybe tomorrow?"

"Yeah!" Mia said enthusiastically.

"And we've invited Harry, Ginny, James, Albus and Lily round for tea on the 23rd," her dad said.

Mia's dad helped her take her trunk up to her room.

"Do you like sleeping in a dormitory?" he asked her, as she set Felix's cage down on her desk.

"Yeah, but it's good to have my own space again."

The week leading up to Christmas was a flurry of activity – putting up decorations, buying Christmas presents, visiting relatives. Mia was really looking forward to having the Potter's over on the 23rd, so much so that when the day came, practically camped out by the front door all afternoon.

When the doorbell finally rang, she bounded to open it.

"Hey, squirt," James was stood on the doorstep, the rest of his family behind him.

"I'm not a squirt," Mia said indignantly, letting him hug her all the same.

"Sure you are," James grinned. "Quick, let's get inside – it's flipping freezing out here.

Mia stood aside to let them all in as her parents came out into the hall.

"Hi Harry," Mia's dad said. "Ginny."

"Let's go to your room," Lily said, grabbing Mia's hand.

"Tea will be in about half an hour, girls," Mia's mum said.

"Okay, Mum," Mia said, running up the stairs with Lily following.

"Wow, your room's massive!" Lily said.

"Not really..." Mia said. "And anyway, so's yours... yours and Rose's..."

"Yeah, but you haven't seen my really room, in Godric's Hollow... that's tiny. Definitely the smallest room. Before I went to Hogwarts, I kinda stole James'room, but last summer he demanded it back, so..."

"How's Christmas at Grimmauld Place?" Mia asked

"Crazy," Lily grinned. "Mum, Dad, Gran, Granddad, me, James, Al, nine aunts and uncles, nine cousins, plus Teddy. It's amazingly crazy. We've put up a tent in mine and Rose's room, to make more space."

"How does a tent make more space?" Mia asked.

"Undetectable extension charm," Lily explained. "It's bigger on the inside. And it has to be – as well as me and Rose, there's Vic, Dom, Molly, Lucy and Roxy."

"Seven of you sharing a room?" Mia asked.

"Uh-huh," Lily grinned. "I told you – it's crazy. And the boy's room's just off the kitchen, you know – and the room itself's been extended. There's seven of them in there too, including Uncle Charlie and Teddy."

"I'm glad it's just me and Mum and Dad for Christmas," Mia said. "But part of me wishes I could experience the crazy."

Lily laughed. "I think my parents are talking to your parents about you guys all staying for a couple of days in the week after Christmas – Uncle Percy and Aunt Audrey are leaving after Boxing Day cuz Uncle Percy's got to go back to work, and Aunt Audrey would rather be at home, so they'll be a spare bedroom.

"I hope they'll say yes," Mia said, as they heard her mum calling them downstairs for tea.

On the 28th, Mia packed a rucksack as they were heading out to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. She'd enjoyed a quiet few days at home with her family, but was now looking forward to being back in the Wizarding World; even though she and the other underage wizards weren't allowed to use magic, it would be fun to be around adults who were.

"Mia, are you ready?" her dad called.

"Almost!" Mia called back. She shoved her wand into her jeans pocket. It didn't matter that she wasn't allowed to do magic; she still wanted to have it with her.

Mia was just getting into the car when she remembered Felix's cage was still on her desk. She raced back upstairs and grabbed it, hoping Felix would be able to find her in Grimmauld Place. Lily had told her owls were pretty smart – they could find anyone, anywhere – and anyway, she'd sent him to deliver a letter to Lily, Hugo and Louis last night, so she'd probably arrive to find him waiting for her.

Sure enough, the first thing Lily did when they arrive was to drag her all the way up to the top of the house, where Felix was roosting with at least a dozen other owls.

As they stood there, a small black feather ball flew right into the closed window from the outside. Lily laughed and opened the window for him, whereupon he zoomed around Mia's head a couple of times, before landing on her shoulder, holding out his leg with a letter tied on, his chest puffed out importantly.

Mia opened the letter, puzzled at who would be writing to her.

'Hi Mia. Just to say I'll have some time on the first night back after Christmas, so I'll see you on the pitch at 6:30, whatever the weather. Hope you're having a good Christmas. Will.'

"Who's writing to you?" Lily demanded.

"Cassie," Mia lied. She wasn't exactly sure why she was lying to everyone about the whole Quidditch thing, but she liked having it as her own little secret. "Just saying Merry Christmas. I guess the owl must've got lost."  
"Mmm," Lily agreed, looking up at the black feather ball, who had now settled himself on her shoulder. "He looks like the kind of owl who'd be good at getting lost. Ow!" The owl had just nipped her ear. "Go on, get lost." Hooting indignantly, the little owl took off out of the open window.

"C'mon,"Lily said, grabbing Mia's hand. "Let's go downstairs and find Teddy and Vic, so you can meet them... except we probably won't find them, because they'll probably be snogging in a cupboard somewhere..."


	12. Chapter Twelve: Back To School

**Chapter Twelve**

**Back To School**

"And then," Mac continued, "I decided I'd forge her handwriting, and break up with James for her... he didn't fall for it, but Chlo was fuming when she found out. She chased me all round the house, and I swear if she'd been allowed to use magic, she would have hexed me."

The first years gathered around Mac all roared with laughter. He was a regular entertainer of the younger students in the house common room – although he seemed like a bit of a misfit amongst his fellow second years, the first years had happily welcomed him into their group. They all agreed that Mac was good for a laugh – he was the kind of guy who never took himself too seriously, and was always joking.

Mia checked her watch. Twenty past six. She better go – Will was expecting her on the Quidditch Pitch in ten minutes.

"Where are you going?" Lily asked as Mia stood up.

"Library," Mia lied. "I need to finish a Transfiguration Essay."

"Rather you than me," Lily grinned. "I can't believe you've left it til now."  
"I wanted to use a book from the library," Mia said.

When she reached the Quidditch pitch, Will was waiting for her.

"Sorry, am I late?" she asked, picking up the broom he'd picked out for her.

"Nope, just on time," he said.

"Are you sure you've got time for this?" Mia asked. "I know you're busy – being head boy as well as doing your NEWTs."

"No, it's fine," Will said. "I like to think I'm doing my bit to secure the future of the Gryffindor team. Yeah, it's no problem –I left Kimmy Walter in charge of the prefect meeting – she is Head Girl, after all."

"Walter?" Mia asked. "Mac's sister?"

"Mac?" Will asked. "Mackenzie? The kid who's commentator for Quidditch? Yeah, she's his sister."

Mia thought Mac must feel overshadowed by his sisters – one head girl, the other dating the son of the man who defeated Voldermort. No wonder he acted out all the time – perhaps he just wanted someone to notice _him_.

"Right, ready to go, then?" Will asked.

"Yeah," Mia said, mounting her broom.

"Do you really think I could make the team next year?" Mia asked Will, as they were putting the brooms away after a hard hour's training.

"Yeah, if you keep practicing," Will said. "Seriously, Mia, you're a natural, and I don't think any of the others who tried out for this year are better than you."

"Seriously?" Mia asked.

"Seriously," Will said, grinning at her disbelief.

The two of them continued into the castle, Mia wondering what it would be like to be on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. She could play Quidditch all the time then, and win points for her house, and...

"Are you going up to the common room?" Will asked as they reached the third floor.

"No; I think my friends are still in the house common room," Mia said.

"Okay," Will said. "Well, I'll see you around then. I probably won't be able to do training for a while – Danielle's put in a heap of extra practices for the Hufflepuff game, so all my time's either going to be spent at those, or doing homework."

"Alright," Mia nodded. "Oh, and by the way, your owl's an idiot."

Will grinned. "Yeah, sorry about him."

"He bit Lily when she said he looked like the kind to get lost," Mia smiled.

Will laughed. "Yeah, he's just got an inflated sense of his own importance, that's all."

When Mia reached the house common room, the first years were all still gathered around Mac.

"Well, we all know Hufflepuff are gonna flatten Gryffindor," he was saying. "We all saw what happened with Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor only just beat Slytherin."

"I don't know," Louis shrugged. "When you've got two closely matched teams like Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, it's the seeking that counts, and I think Gryffindor might just have the edge."

"With Wood?" Mac scoffed. "Did you see how Malfoy steamrollered him?"

"He didn't exactly steamroller him..." Louis countered.

Lily yawned. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm off to bed. Coming, anyone?"

Most of the Gryffindors elected to follow her, leaving Mac and Louis still arguing over who was going to win the upcoming Quidditch match.

"I don't see what the big fuss is," Mia said, as they climbed the staircase. "Why don't they just wait until the match? – then they can see who wins."

"Because they're boys?" Lily shrugged. "Boys are idiots."

"Agreed," Mia sighed, thinking of her cousin, Jack, the one whose ears she'd made disappear when they were younger. Over Christmas, she'd so wanted to tell him she was a witch.

"Hey!" Hugo said, indignantly. "Not all boys are idiots – just some of them give us a bad name."

Lily and Mia both laughed.

The next morning after breakfast, they headed out to the greenhouses for double Herbology. Although it had been fairly mild down in the home counties, up in Scotland it had been snowing all night, and the first years tramped their way through eight inches of snow to get to the greenhouses.

Lily, Mia and Hugo came face to face with Ilonka and her gang of Slytherin girls. Ilonka paused only to sneer at Lily before hurrying into the greenhouses; it was so cold.

"Who does she think she is?" Lily muttered angrily.

"Leave it," Hugo told her, but Mia could tell she wasn't listening.

Mia and Hugo joined two Slytherins, Theo Nott and Ruby McLaggan, at a table, watching Lily join Rachel Wilson and two of Ilonka's giggling cronies at the next table.

"Maybe one of us should swap with her..." Mia said, putting on her dragonhide gloves and watching Lily brush off all Rachel's attempts to talk to her.

"She wouldn't let us," Hugo reasoned. "You know Lily."

'Mmm,' thought Mia. 'And that's the problem.'

An hour and a half later, Lily was the first one out of the greenhouses. Mia and Hugo caught up with her half way up to the castle.

"What's up with you?" Hugo asked her.

Lily rolled her eyes at him and tossed her long red hair over her shoulders.

"You need to just ignore Ilonka, Lily," Mia told her.

"Yeah, and you need to shut up," Lily snapped.

"Lily," Hugo said reproachfully.

Lily sighed. "Sorry," she said. "She just gets on my nerves."

"We know," Mia grinned.

"But I don't get it, she didn't even do anything today," Hugo said.

"It's just the way she looked at me," Lily said as they entered the warmth of the castle, and started up the stairs.

"People are allowed to look at you, you know, Lil," Hugo said.

"Whatever," Lily shrugged. "Oh no..."

Ilonka Kallous and her cronies were stood at the top of the stairs.

"Just ignore her," Mia intoned as they walked past them. Suddenly, Lily was sprawled on the floor, Ilonka and her cronies laughing.

"What happened?" Mia asked, helping Lily to her feet.

"She tripped me up!" Lily said furiously, drawing her wand.

Ilonka got in there first with her jinx. Lily's face started sprouting purple feelers. Mia drew her wand too.

"What's going on here?" Professor Duncan, who taught Transfiguration, was striding down the corridor towards them. "No magic in the corridor towards them. "No magic in the corridors! Detention, all three of you."

"But, Professor, Mia didn't even-" Hugo began.

Professor Duncan held up his hand to silence him. "You want to contradict me, Weasley? Well, maybe you'd also join them in detention. Miss Kallous, Miss Potter, Miss Dursely and Mr Weasley, I'll see you in my office at 6pm."

He pointed his wand at Lily's face, the feelers receded and he walked away, calling over his shoulder,

"Get to class. I think I'm expecting some of you in Transfiguration, aren't I?"

"That was so unfair!" Hugo said. "Mia didn't even do anything, and-"

"I didn't even do anything either!" Lily said indignantly.

"Yeah, but you would've," Hugo reasoned. "If Ilonka hadn't jinxed you... you had your wand out with the intention of using it, didn't you?"  
"Yeah, but so did I," Mia said. "If Professor Duncan hadn't come along I would've jinxed her. But he shouldn't have given you detention, Hugo."

"He shouldn't have given any of us detention," Lily said. "Teachers normally just take points for magic in the corridors."

The three of them reached the History of Magic classroom, where Louis had saved them their usual seats at the back.

"James, Fred and Chris are testing some Wheezes products in the house common room tonight," he told them excitedly. "Wanna go watch? It'll be immense."

"We can't," Hugo sighed. "We've got detention."

"What, all three of you?" Louis asked. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," Lily said. "That's the whole point!"

They explained to him what had just happened downstairs.

"That's well unfair!" he said when they'd finished.

"I know, right," Lily sighed. "I'm so gonna get even with Ilonka – she won't know what's hit her."

"Um... Lil, I don't think that's a very good idea..."Hugo began.

"Well, I think it's a fantastic idea," Lily said, folding her arms and turning her back on him.


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Detention

Chapter Thirteen

Detention

Lily was in a mood for the rest of the day. When they met the Slytherins again in Charms, Mia and Hugo carefully steered her as far away from Ilonka as possible, and Mia spent the next forty-five minutes intoning "Ignore her. Just ignore her. She just wants a reaction – don't give her what she wants."

As they sat down to dinner in the Great Hall, Lily was still in a mood.

"Lily, you should try some of this pie – it's great!" Hugo said, with his mouth full of food.

"I'm not hungry," Lily said stubbornly.

"Hey! Detention on the first day back! Good work guys!"  
James, Fred and Chris said down opposite them.

"Get lost, James," Lily said.

The boy all laughed. "Oh-ho, James – you've struck a nerve!" Chris said.

"Yeah, is ickle Lily-kins a little goody-goody – scared of getting a detention?" Fred grinned.

"Shut up, Fred," Hugo said.

Fred fell backwards off the bench, pretending to faint in surprise. "Did you hear that, guys?" he asked from the floor. "Hugheykins just telled me to shut up... oh, hey, Chlo."

Chlo Walter, James' girlfriend and sister to Mac, and Kimmy, the head girl, stepped over Fred, and sat down next to James, rolling her eyes.

"Hey babe," James said, kissing her whilst Chris and Fred, now sat back on the bench, pretended to throw up. "Can you please tell these guys that getting detention's no big deal."

"It might not be to you guys, who seem to wear it like a badge of honour," Chlo began.

"Well, that's cuz it is a badge of honour," Fred interjected.

"But when you're first years, and it's your first detention, I guess it is..." she finished, after glaring at Fred.

"I bet Mac didn't freak at his first detention," James said.

"Yeah, but Mac's just..."

"Mac," James finished for her, with a grin.

"Anyway," Lily said loudly. "It's not because it's our first detention, it's because it was totally unfair. I got detention for _getting jinxed_, Mia got detention for _holding her wand_, and Hugo got detention for trying to tell Professor Duncan we hadn't done anything."

"Actually, I was only saying Mia-" Hugo began, but the look Mia gave him shut him up.

"Well, it's a shame you get to miss the testing of some new products," James said. "But we're moving to the Gryffindor common room after ickle-kids curfew, so I guess we'll see you later."

As six o'clock approached, Hugo got up from the table. "I guess we better go," he said.

Mia and Lily stood up too, and the three of them headed up to the 5th floor, and the Transfiguration classroom. Ilonka was already waiting outside, and to Hugo and Mia's relief, Lily pointedly ignored her.

At six o'clock, Professor Duncan opened the door, ushered the four of them inside and pointed them over to a table. For the next two and a half hours, he had them mending old spell books, labelling cages of animals and objects used for transfigurations. Mia could hear Lily muttering, 'It's not far, it's not fair' the whole time, until Hugo, of all people, told her to shut up.

When Professor Duncan told them, at last, that they were free to go, Lily barged past Ilonka in the doorway.

"I'll make you pay, Ilonka Kallous," she hissed.

When the three of them reached the Gryffindor common room, James, Fred and Chris were the centre of attention.

"Roll up, roll up!" James was shouting. "Come and see for your self – you know you want the new Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes product, developed by students, for students!"  
This seemed to brighten Lily up. "Let's go see what it is," she said, pushing through the crowd, dragging Hugo and Mia after her.

A brightly coloured rubber ball soared through the air, hit Lily's arm and bounced away again.

"Ow!" Lily said, rolling up her sleeve to look at where the ball had hit her. A bright purple bruise was already forming.

Hugo had found another of the rubber balls – or perhaps it was the same one, Mia couldn't tell – rolling around on the floor. He picked it up. Now Mia looked, those balls were bouncing all over the common room.

"Ow! It bit me!" Hugo said.

"How can a ball bite you?" Mia asked.

"It just opened up and bit me," Hugo said. "Fred, what are these?"

They had reached the middle of the common room, where James, Fred and Chris were. Fred took one look at the bruise on Lily's arm and the bite on Hugo's finger and grinned.

"Bouncing Bashing Biting Boomerang Barmy Balls," he said. "Although the name is subject to change."

"So they hit people and bite them?" Lily said scornfully. "Great product, guys."

"They do more than that," James said indignantly, accepting gold from two second years and turning to face Lily, Mia and Hugo. "They're useful as decoys, yeah, the attack your enemies, they always come back – unless they fancy playing hide-and-seek, and they make pretty low maintenance pets too."

"They're alive?" Lily asked. Mia peered closer, and saw a pair of blinking eyes on the ball, which was sitting innocently in Hugo's outstretched palm.

"Kinda," James shrugged.

"'Kinda'?" Lily asked. "They're either alive or they're not."

"Or they're barmy," James grinned. "So, want one? Only two galleons each."

"I'm your sister," Lily pouted.

"You're a customer," James corrected her.

"I'm not sure I want one if it's gonna bite me," Hugo said, handing the ball to Fred.

"It won't bite _you_," James said.

"It just did!" Hugo said indignantly, waving his hand in James' face.

"You just have to keep it in its bag, in your pocket, for twenty four hours, and it'll accept you as its owner," James said, pulling three mesh bags, each containing a ball, out of his pocket. As they watched, one of them slowly faded from orange to pale yellow.

"They change colour?" Lily asked.

"Uh-huh," James nodded. "It's an indication of their mood. It's all in the free guide." He pulled three miniature booklets from his other pocket. "What'd you say? I'll even let you pay me at breakfast tomorrow."

"Alright," Hugo said, taking a bag and booklet from James. Lily and Mia followed suit. Mia's ball was flitting rapidly between green and purple, which was quite interesting to watch.

The three of them retreated to a quiet corner of the common room and got to work on their Herbology homework. Mia let Lily copy down the essay title, because she'd left class so quickly that morning she hadn't written it down.

As a cold February became an even colder February, Lily seemed to have forgotten about her promise to make Ilonka pay. Gryffindor narrowly defeated Hufflepuff in the Quidditch match at the end of January, which meant Louis spent the next week gloating that he, a mere first year, was better at predicting the results than Mac, a second year _and_ Quidditch commentator.

Mia found her life becoming further and further removed from before she knew she was a witch. If she hadn't been a witch she'd be halfway though year seven right now. She'd met up with a few old school friends over Christmas, and could already tell how vastly different their lives were already becoming. Not that she'd change any of it for the world...

No, she loved this crazy world she'd been pitched head first into. The way the arrival of a hundred owls was a normal occurrence at breakfast, words such as 'broomstick' and 'potion' were in frequent use, and homework included practicing spells and writing essays on goblin wars.

Evenings were mostly spent in the house common room, in the company of a group of fellow first years which Mac had dubbed 'the gang'. They would work on homework together, or at least pretend to, play exploding snap, and discuss Quidditch – either that or the latest antics of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes latest sell-out, Bouncing Bashing Biting Boomerang Barmy Balls, which Lily had unofficially dubbed 'B's', because she insisted it was cuter, as well as being considerably quicker to say.

One such evening, towards the end of February, Mia returned to the house common room after a training session with Will to find the gang had been joined by James, Fred, Chris , Al and Mac, and were all looking – or trying not to look – at a spot towards the middle of the room. Hugo's sister Rose and the Slytherin seeker, Scorpius Malfoy were sat in an armchair, their lips looked together as if superglued.

"When did this happen?" Mia asked the gang at large. Rose and Scorp were the last people she'd expected to get together – despite being best friends they were always arguing.4

"About the minutes ago," James grinned. "They haven't even come up for air yet."

"They were arguing, and then Scorp just grabbed Rose and kissed her," Lily said. "It was kinda weird."

"It's gross," Hugo said. "She's my sister!"

"And?" Lily shrugged. "Your parents snog all the time, don't they? What's the difference?"

"You'll get a girlfriend one day, Hugo, and then you'll understand," Mac said knowingly.

"Yeah, but I won't go snogging her in the middle of the common room," Hugo said indignantly.

"No, you'll just be at it in a broom cupboard, won't you, Hughey?" James laughed.

"Shut up," Hugo muttered, his face going much the same colour as his hair.

"Anyway, I don't expect it'll last," Albus said, as everyone looked back at Rose and Scorp, whose mouths were still locked together. "They like arguing too much to be all lovey-dovey for any length of time."

"And they're far too young to be getting serious," Fred said aloofly. "I don't intend to get serious until I'm at least forty."

Everyone laughed.

* * *

Thanks for reading, everyone :-) We're just over halfway through now (and book two is well underway) so I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed. This is one of my favourite chapters - I hope you like it :-)


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Cassie

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Cassie**

Mia couldn't believe how fast her first year at Hogwarts was going. Before too long, it was April, Easter holidays and then exams were looming, and Gryffindor and Slytherin were almost neck in neck for the Quidditch cup.

Sat in Potions one day, about a week before the penultimate Quidditch match of the season, Lily demanded of Cassie and Zoe whether they were supporting Gryffindor.

"Nope, we're supporting Ravenclaw," Zoe said.

"Why?" Lily demanded.

"Because if Ravenclaw beat Gryffindor, and then Hufflepuff beat Slytherin by a wide enough margin, then we might still win the cup," Cassie explained.

"Yeah, but Ravenclaw won't beat us," Lily reasoned. "They're rubbish."

"Anyway, I guess it doesn't really matter who we support," Zoe said. "It's not like we're going to change the score, just by cheering."

"You might..." Lily said.

"Girls, as fascinating as all this is, and as much as I too would like Hufflepuff to win the Quidditch cup, would you please concentrate on your potions?"

"Sorry, Professor," Zoe said sheepishly. Professor Cooke was head of Hufflepuff.

The four of them turned back to their potions. Lily stirred hers thoughtfully, apparently not noticing that it was rapidly turning green, rather than the required indigo blue.

"Mia, please could you read me the... um... fifth line on the board? I can't quite see from here without my glasses," Cassie said, squinting at the blackboard.

"You wear glasses?" Mia asked. After seven months of seeing her every day in either Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts, or both, she couldn't recall ever once seeing Cassie wearing glasses.

"Well... no..." Cassie said sheepishly. "I'm supposed to, but..."

Mia grinned. She remembered how she was supposed to wear a retainer all of last year, but had decided not to because she thought it made her look uncool.

"It says 'add five Billywig stings, and stir counter clockwise until the potion turns pale pink'," Mia read for her.

"Thanks," Cassie said, counting out the Billywig stings.

Mia didn't really think about Cassie and her glasses for the rest of the day – she was too busy trying to keep Lily away from Ilonka in Herbology – until Lily came into the house common room that evening, declaring that she'd just overheard Zoe and Cassie arguing.

"Cassie?" Louis said. "But she's really quiet."

"What were they arguing about?" Mia asked.

Lily shrugged. "Zoe was just saying 'You need to tell someone', and Cassie was saying 'no I don't'."

Just then, Zoe and Cassie came into the house common room and walked over to join 'the gang'."

"Hey, are you guys alright?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," Cassie said.

"Lily heard you arguing earlier," Mac said.

Lily glared at him. "Subtle," she said.

"Well you're hardly the Queen of subtlety," Mac retorted.

"Cassie..." Zoe said.

"Shut _up_ Zoe," Cassie said. Mia wondered what they could be arguing about – Cassie was usually so quiet and friendly.

"You have to tell someone," Zoe said.

"I don't _have_ to tell anyone anything," Cassie said.

"But we can help y-"

"I don't need any help!" Cassie exploded. "Why can't everyone just leave me alone?"

"Because we're your friends, and we care about you, you idiot!" Zoe yelled back.

Cassie sat there, stony-faced, saying nothing.

"It can't be that bad," Louis reasoned. "Whatever it is. Maybe if you just told us..."

"I can't read," Cassie said viciously. "There. I can't read." She turned to Zoe. "Happy now?"

"You... what?" Lily said. "You can't _read_?"

"Or write," Cassie said quietly, suddenly realising the whole gang were watching her.

"But... in lessons and stuff... how have you done your homework... written essays...?" Hugo asked.

"I've been helping her," Zoe said. "I read the instructions in class, and if we have reading homework, I read it aloud for both of us."  
"What about essays?" Mia asked.

"I have a dictaquill," Cassie said.

"A what-quill?" Lily demanded.

"Dictaquill," Cassie repeated. "I dictate, it writes. I know what to say – I just don't know how to say it... but exams are coming up, and Zoe won't be allowed to read me the questions, and I won't be able to use the dictaquill. I'm going to fail, and then they'll kick me out, and I'll have to become a muggle, and..."

Mia could see that Cassie was working herself up into a state, and moved to put her arm around her. "It'll be okay," she said. "You can talk to Professor Cooke or something, and they'll work something out."

"But she'll be mad at me for hiding the fact that I can't read all year," Cassie sobbed.

"Nah she won't," Mac said. "She's really nice. I guess if anyone else was my head of house I'd've been kicked out by now, but..." he shrugged. "Seriously. Cooky's sweet. But how come you can't read?"

"I... don't know," Cassie said. "I guess no one ever really taught me properly, and then I got fed up of trying to learn, so I just pretended I could..."

"I could teach you."

Several people looked around – they hadn't realised Al'd been sitting there on a table on the edge of the group, watching Rose and Scorp working across the room.

"You could teach me to read?" Cassie asked.

"Probably," Al shrugged. "I mean, I taught a couple of little kids to read last summer, and I expect it'd be easier for you, because I guess you already recognise some letters and words."

"Yeah, Al's a born teacher," Lily said. "Let him teach you, Cassie."

"We could both stay here over Easter, and I'll teach you," Al offered.

"You'd do that for me?" Cassie asked.

"Sure," Al nodded. "Anyway, I'm sure Mum and Dad'd be happy to have me here to keep an eye on James and make sure he actually does some work over the holidays. So, what'd you say?"

"Okay," Cassie said. "Thanks."

"Come on," Mia said. "Why don't we go and talk to Professor Cooke?"

"Yeah, I'll come too," Zoe said. "Part of this is my fault – I should've told you to tell her sooner."

The three of them left the common room just as Rose started yelling at Scorp for touching her knee whilst she was trying to work.

The following Friday in the Gryffindor common room, everyone was gearing up for the Gryffindor v. Ravenclaw match. Roxanne's friend Lottie was making a banner with a huge Gryffindor lion on it, a sixth year was taking bets on the outcome, and Samuel Wood was playing with a snitch.

Hugo nudged Mia. "Danielle doesn't look happy," he muttered.

Mia looked up. Sure enough, the Gryffindor captain had just come through the portrait hole, and she looked furious.

"Someone's for it..." Mia muttered back.

Danielle stormed over to where James, Fred and Chris were sitting in a corner, which was odd for them now Mia came to think of it – they were usually the centre of attention.

"What the hell do you think you were playing at?" Danielle demanded, and the room fell silent to listen. "What were you thinking, getting detention for tomorrow?"

"We didn't ask for it!" James retorted.

"By the sounds of things you as good as did!" Danielle shouted. "Putting nifflers in Professor Duncan's office!"

Chris grinned, and Danielle rounded on her brother.

"And I don't know why you're so happy about all this!" she yelled. "I thought you at least would have some brains, but now I'm missing two Chasers for the Ravenclaw match tomorrow!"

"Ravenclaw are rubbish – you'll beat 'em easy," James said.

"Not with only one chaser we won't!" Danielle retorted.

"You can use substitutes," Fred suggested.

"Yes, and that'll go fantastically with absolutely no practices," Danielle said venomously. "You guys are so stupid sometimes. Don't you even care about the Quidditch cup?"

"Of course we care!" James said indignantly. "We just didn't think. I'm sorry, Danielle."

"Yeah, I'm sorry too," Fred said.

"Sorry's not going to bring my chasers back, though, is it?" Danielle asked, walking away.

Lily got to her feet. "James and Fred are such idiots!" she said emphatically. "I'm going to go tell them it's all their fault if we lose the Quidditch cup now!"

Hugo grabbed her arm. "I guess they feel bad enough about it already," he said. "They don't need you rubbing it in."

Lily said down again. "Sometimes I really hate James," she sighed.


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw**

The next morning, whispers spread through the Great Hall at breakfast like a wildfire. James Potter and Fred Weasley had got themselves detention and weren't going to be playing in the match. The Ravenclaw table was abuzz with excitement – perhaps, then, their team had a chance.

At the Gryffindor table, the mood was a lot more subdued. James, Fred and Chris were sat alone at the end of the long table, since no one wanted to sit with them. Hugo had briefly suggested it, but he'd been immediately shot down by Lily, who insisted she didn't want to be anywhere near her oldest brother right now. Instead, they were sat with Rose, who was in a foul mood, because she and Scorpius had had a row and broken up for the second time this week. Albus had cheerfully watched the argument unfold in the house common room last night, shrugged, and added a tally mark to a scrap of parchment he kept in his pocket. His observation that Rose and Scorp wouldn't last because they enjoyed arguing too much had been partly correct. In the past month, they had broken up and got back together on average twice a week, and Al was enjoying keeping a record.

"I don't get why he has to be so clingy all the time," she was saying. "It's like I can't even go to the bathroom without him wanting to follow me. I'm fed up with it."

"Well, why don't you tell _him_ that?" Hugo sighed. Mia could tell he was getting fed up of his sister.

"Because he doesn't listen," Rose said, stabbing at her bacon.

"Then make him listen," Lily said. "Just grab him and make him listen."

"Hmm," Rose said.

After they'd finished eating, Lily, Hugo and Mia hurried off towards the Quidditch pitch, to avoid having to sit with Rose the whole game. Besides, they could see Scorp hovering at the foot of the Gryffindor table, apology in his eyes.

"Good luck, mate," Hugo said, slapping him on the back as they passed him.

"Think she'll forgive me?" Scorp asked.

Hugo shrugged, and he, Lily and Mia exited the Great Hall as Scorp walked the length of the Gryffindor table and sat down opposite Rose.

The Quidditch stands were mostly a sea of blue and bronze – most Hufflepuffs and Slytherins seemed to be supporting Ravenclaw, because it gave them a better chance in the Quidditch Cup. The three of them joined the rest of the Gryffindors, and settled down to watch the match.

Mac Walter was once again in the commentators podium, giving a pre-match commentary.

"And, there have been last minute changes to the Gryffindor line-up, due to an... um... incident, involving a pair of nifflers and a pair of chaser..."

Mac sounded very pleased about this, a fact which Lily was quick to notice.

"Shut up, Mac!" she yelled, but he couldn't hear her over the noise of the crowd.  
"So," he continued. "Wood is now heading up a very young team – herself and Keeper Darrow, Seeker Samuel Wood, Beaters Roxanne Weasley and Mary Cattermole, and for this match she replaces Potter and Weasley with her youngest brother _Peter _Wood – so that's three Wood siblings on the team now – and second-year Kyle Caplan."

"Why does Mac have to sound so sceptical?" Lily demanded.

"Cool it, Lil," Hugo said.

Lily ignored him. "And anyway, it's not like she chose Peter because he's her brother," she continued.

"Well, she probably did," Mia said. "Not like favouritism or anything, but because she must've played with him at home, and seen how he was going to fit in."

"Mmm, I guess..." Lily said. "I don't know why she chose Caplan, though – he can't have played as a reserve before because he's only a second-year, and didn't he try out for Keeper?"

"Yeah, but Danielle's been using him as a reserve in practices all year," Mia said. She should know – she'd watched most of them.

The players were coming out onto the pitch, and then stands erupted with cheers. Lily started a chant of 'Go, go, Gryffindor!' which was quickly taken up by those around her. The captains shook hands, Madam Hooch blew her whistle, and fourteen players shot into the air.

"Aaaand they're off!" Mac shouted. "And it's Gryffindor Captain Wood in possession of the Quaffle, she passes it to Caplan... who drops it. The Quaffle's caught by Peter Wood... oh no, he's dropped it too, so now it's Goldstein of Ravenclaw in possession, tearing off up the pitch towards the Gryffindor goalhoops-"

"Come on, Will!" Mia yelled.

"And so it's Ravenclaw's Krystelle Goldstein heading for goal... nice Bludger there from Weasley, forces Goldstein to bass to Boot, Boot passes to Senior, back to Goldstein, intercepted by Wood – Danielle Wood, that is – who's now tearing up the pitch towards the Ravenclaw goalhoops, this'll be the first test of the match for Keeper Smith... can he block it?"

"NO!" came the roar from the Gryffindor stands, and they were right. The first points of the match were for Gryffindor.

But, twenty minutes later, it looked as if that goal had been a fluke. The score was still 10-0 to Gryffindor, and neither team seemed able to retain possession long enough to make an attempt on goal, and on the rare occasions Ravenclaw managed to shoot, it was saved by Will. The two teams were locked in stalemate, and the only thing that looked like it might end the game was the seeking. And, unfortunately for Gryffindor, the seeking was where Ravenclaw's strength lay – 6th Year Captain Matt Toft rode a Firebolt Blue and had very good eyesight.

Mia watched as Ravenclaw's three chasers converged on the Gryffindor goalhoops.

"Another attack on goal by Ravenclaw – can Darrow block it?" Mia shouted. But his cry of 'of course he can!' was all but drowned out by the roars of the crowd.

The Ravenclaw captain called time out, and his team joined him in a huddle on the ground.

"I wonder what he's telling them to do?" Lily asked, as they all watched Toft wildly gesticulating to his beaters.

"Who knows?" Mia shrugged.

The game was soon back in session, and it was quickly apparent what Toft's tactics were. As the three chasers – Goldstein, Boot and Senior – entered the scoring area by the Gryffindor goalhoops, Louis' sister Dominique, who was one of the teams beaters, lobbed a bludger at Will. He dived to avoid it, and Krystelle Goldstein scored.

"That was a dirty trick!" Lily yelled as the cheers from the blue and bronze clad supporters died down and play resumed.

"Yeah, but it's not technically against the rules, is it?" Mia yelled back. 'C'mon Will,' she thought. As much as she'd rather Will didn't get hit by a bludger, Gryffindor couldn't afford to lose this match.

In the next ten minutes, Ravenclaw scored three more goals in a similar manner. Danielle called for time out, and the Gryffindor team landed near to where Lily, Hugo and Mia were sitting. Mia wished she could hear what Danielle was saying to her team, but the crowd were talking amongst themselves too loudly.

"She's telling Roxanne and Mary to keep the bludgers away from Will," Hugo inferred, watching the body language. "And yelling a Peter and Caplan because they're useless... and telling Samuel to catch the freaking snitch, already!"

Mia grinned, but Lily didn't look amused. "He better catch the snitch before Toft does," she said seriously. "Or we're done for."

Play resumed, but Danielle's tactics didn't appear to be working. The problem was, it was hard for Roxanne and Mary to keep the bludgers away from Will without blocking him, or accidently fouling one of the Ravenclaw players.

"RAVENCLAW SCORE!" Mac yelled. "Ravenclaw lead, 90 points to 20."

"Where's the flipping snitch?" Lily yelled exasperatedly.

Mia tried to watch Will – tried to observe how he dealt with the relentless barrage of bludgers, but, like so many others in the stands, she found her eyes constantly flicking upwards to where Samuel Wood and Matt Toft circled, looking for the snitch, of which there appeared to be no sign.

Play continued; Ravenclaw extended their lead by another fifty points, and Danielle's countless attempts to reclaim possession of the Quaffle were fruitless without her teammate's help."

"And it's Danielle Wood of Gryffindor heading for goal, she passes to Caplan, who fumbles it, intercepted by Goldstein, Goldstein passes to Senior, intercepted by Wood, who's really tearing around this pitch, Weasley – Dom, that is – sends a bludger at her, Wood passes to other Wood, who drops it, and it's Ravenclaw's Amy Boot heading for goal."

Mia watched as, predictably, the chaser entered the scoring area, Leigh, the other Ravenclaw beater aimed a bludger at Will, and the score became 150-20 to Ravenclaw.

"And it looks as though Wood – Samuel Wood, that is – may have spotted the snitch!" Mac said excitedly. "Look at him diving – Toft is close on his tail, but it looks as if the Gryffindor captain's younger brother might have the edge here... yes, there's the snitch-"

"Where?!" a load of people shouted.

"In Wood's hand," Mac grinned. Samuel had just snatched up the snitch from the very foot of the stands in which Lily, Hugo and Mia were sat. "GRYFFINDOR WINS! Final score: 170 to 150."

"We won!" Lily screamed ecstatically.

"Yeah, but not by much," Mia said. "I'm not sure about the figures, but I think the cup's still wide open."


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Easter

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Easter**

Mia was right. Before breakfast the next morning, several people had worked out the statistics, and for the next week leading up to the Easter holidays it was all anyone could talk about. If Slytherin beat Hufflepuff with 180 points or more, they would win the cup, with Gryffindor second, whereas if Hufflepuff won by 220 points or more, they would go top, and if Slytherin still managed to score 180 points, Gryffindor would face a slide into third place. It was definitely all to play for.

Whilst a lot of the younger students were going home for the Easter holidays, most of the older ones, especially the 5th and 7th years, with OWLs and NEWTs approaching, were staying at school to revise.

Cassie and Al were also staying, so he could teach her to read. Professor Cooke had gently chided Cassie when she'd confessed to her that she couldn't read, and said that she should have told her sooner, but hadn't got cross. She'd said she'd arrange for someone to read the exam questions to Cassie this year, and also arrange it so she could use her dictaquill. Cassie felt a lot less worried now she'd got that secret off her chest.

On the first Monday of the holidays Cassie met Al in the house common room. It was mostly deserted, apart from a few inter-house study groups, as most people appeared to have opted to work in their own common rooms, or the library.

"You don't have to do this, you know," Cassie said to him. She felt guilty that he was giving up his Easter holidays to teach her to read.

Albus grinned. "Nope, I don't, but I want to," he said. "I like teaching."

"Is that what you want to do when you grow up?" Cassie asked.

Al shrugged. "Maybe. But there isn't like a specific subject I want to teach... I prefer like pre-Hogwarts... Anyway, let's get down to business."

He wrote something on a piece of parchment.

"Know what this says?" he asked.

"'Cassie'," Cassie said. "I know _that_ – it's my name."

"D'you know why it says 'Cassie', though, or have you just memorised it?" Al asked.

"Just memorised," Cassie said.

"D'you know what the letters are?" Al asked.

"Uh-huh," Cassie nodded. "C-A-S-S-I-E," she said, pointing.

"Then you're almost reading," Al said. "You've just gotta translate the letters to the sounds. D'you know what sounds are in your name?"

Cassie thought for a minute. "Cuh-ah-see?" she suggested.

"Almost," Al smiled. "Cuh-ah-suh-ee." He pointed at the letters as he spoke.

"So... I just have to figure out what letters make what sounds, and then I can read?" Cassie asked.

"Kinda," Al shrugged. "The problem is, different letters make different sounds in different circumstances, and two letters together can make a blend that's different from their individual sounds."

Cassie sighed. "It's going to take forever to learn all that," she said.

"Not forever," Al smiled. "And we've got time – it's not like you have to be reading fluently by exams this year."

"It's going to be weird living as muggles for two whole weeks," Lily said emphatically, dumping her bag on Mia's bed. The two of them had spent a long weekened camping with Lily's parents, whilst Mia's parents went away for their 20th Wedding Anniversary, and now they were spending the rest of the holidays at Mia's house.

"Fun, though," Mia said, pushing Lily's bag to the floor and sitting down on her bed. "There so many cool things muggles have that Wizards don't have."

"Like what?" Lily asked.

"Like my computer games," Mia said. "I'll show you later. And I think Mum said if it rains this week we might go to the cinema. For the next two weeks, you're going to get a whistle stop tour of the muggle world."

"D'you think you belong to the Wizarding world or the muggle world?" Lily asked absent mindedly, flicking through a stack of photos she'd found on Mia's desk. "They don't move!"

"Both," Mia said. She'd been thinking about it a lot recently, and was now fairly happy with her identity, feeling she belonged to both the Wizarding and muggle worlds. "And no, they don't move."

"That's silly," Lily said, sitting down next to Mia. "Who are these people?"

Mia pointed out her friends from Primary School and then showed Lily the picture of her cousins. "That's Jack, the one who's ears I made disappear."

Lily laughed. "I can't believe you didn't think that was weird at the time," she said.

Mia shrugged. "I was six. They came back. It didn't seem like a big deal at the time."

"Hi."

Cassie looked up from the book she was trying to read to see Al, James, Fred and Chris all stood around her.

"Al says you've been sat inside all week," James said bluntly.

"I've been working," Cassie protested.

"Well, you can't work 24/7," James said firmly. "You need some fresh air. You're coming for a walk with us."

"I am?"

"You are," James said firmly, reaching out a hand to help her up.

Cassie allowed him to haul her to her feet, and followed the four boys out of the house common room.

"Aren't you supposed to be revising for your OWLs?" Cassie asked James as she walked down the stairs beside him.

"Yeah, but everyone needs a break from time to time," James said. "Plus, there's a bunch of second years making a racket in the common room, and I think I'd probably hex them if I stayed in there much longer."

"And if you didn't, then I probably would," Fred grinned.

The five of them walked out of the main doors and into the sunshine. James dug into his pocket, pulled out a sandwich and handed it to Cassie. "Eat," he said firmly.

"What's this?" Cassie asked, confused.

"A sandwich," Fred grinned.

"We know you haven't been eating," James said. "Mac told Chlo, and she told me."  
Cassie sighed and started eating, knowing they wouldn't leave her alone until she did.

"So, why haven't you been eating?" Chris asked.

Cassie looked around at the four of them, having a feeling she'd just gained four very overprotective older brothers. "I've been thinking," she said eventually.

"And you can't eat and think at the same time?" Fred laughed.

"What've you been thinking about?" James asked at the same time.

"Nothing in particular," Cassie lied with a shrug. She had bigger secrets than not being able to read.

The five of them walked down to the lake's shore, Cassie eating the sandwich and discovering she was actually quite hungry. They soon reached a spot where the shape of the lake make a natural cove. Here, James' girlfriend Chlo and a couple of her friends were toasting marshmallows on a campfire which appeared to be lit by magic. Mac was down by the water, skimming stones.

"Hey, babe," James said, sitting down next to Chlo, kissing her and then allowing her to feed him a marshmallow. The other boys sat down around the campfire, and Cassie went to join Mac.

"You've been watching me at mealtimes," she said. It wasn't an accusation – merely a statement.

"I just noticed you hadn't been eating much," Mac shrugged. "And Mia asked me to keep an eye on you."

That sounded like the kind of thing Mia would do.

"You should be thankful I told Chlo instead of Kimmy," Mac grinned. His oldest sister was head girl. "She would've involved teachers, or Madam Pomfrey, or something." He didn't sound at all apologetic.

Cassie picked up a stone and tried to skim it across the lake, but it sunk straight into the water.

"You've gotta get an angle on it, like this," Mac told her, demonstrating. His stone skimmed three times before sinking into the lake.

"Like this?" Cassie tried again, but it still didn't work.

"Almost," Mac said. "Try bending your wrist a bit more, and make sure you get a flat enough stone."

Three or four tries later, and Cassie had finally got the hang of it, although her stones would only skim once or twice whereas Mac's record was nine.

Chris came down to the water's edge to join them.

"I bet I can skim one more times than you," he said to Mac.

"Bet you can't," Mac grinned.

"Watch me," Chris said. He skimmed a stone and Mac watched in amazement as it skimmed twenty-two times before sinking into the centre of the lake.

"Whoa!" Mac said. "How did you do that?"

"He used magic," Cassie said. She'd seen the subtle flicks of Chris' wand.

"Cheat!" Mac said indignantly.

"I'm not a cheat," Chris shrugged. "No one said anything about using magic or not."

James, Fred and Al came over, and the boys started a strictly no-magic-allowed stone skimming contest, with Al as the judge.

"Cassie, come and have some marshmallows!" Chlo called, and Cassie went over to sit around the campfire with the three fifth year girls.


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Reading Arguments and

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Reading, Arguments and Quidditch**

"So, can you read?"

Cassie looked up to see most of the gang stood in front of her. The house common room had been steadily filling up around her for the last half hour, and she had been wondering when her friends would descend on her.

"Kinda," she shrugged, in response to Lily's question. "You can't just learn to read in two weeks, but I'm getting there."

"How come you weren't at dinner?" Mac asked. Cassie hadn't noticed him, stood towards the back of the group.

"I'm not hungry," Cassie muttered. She didn't like being the centre of attention – having everyone focussing on her. "I'm going to bed."  
- * -

Over the next few days, Mia and the rest of the first years started to realise just how close exams were.

"Five weeks!" Hugo said in the house common room one evening. "Just five weeks to make sure we know everything we've learnt this year."

"I'm going to fail History of Magic," Lily said. "I just know I am. Professor Binns is just so boring – I never listen."

"At least you'll be alright in Modern History," Zoe said. "Your parents lived all that."  
"Doesn't mean I'll remember it, though," Lily said.

Elsewhere in the school, other tensions about the upcoming exams were beginning to show. Whilst the house common room was still fairly noisy, tending to be used for relaxation rather than studying, the Gryffindor common room was a different matter. At times, the silence was so deafening it could hurt your ears, as everyone tried to cram a year or more's worth of magical education into a month.

Arguments were also breaking out more frequently around the castle, as the stress got to people. A sixth year prefect gave Kieran Finnegan and Alexander Abercrombie detention one day for talking too loudly in the common room, Rose and Scorp were constantly at each other's throats, and it was all Mia and Hugo could do to stop Lily jinxing Ilonka whenever they saw each other.

"I don't know why you can't just drop this thing with Ilonka, Lil," Louis said one day when they were coming out of a History of Magic lesson which Lily had spent complaining about the way Ilonka had looked at her in Herbology.

"Because she's a cow!" Lily said indignantly.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you have to be one too," Louis reasoned.

Lily shot him a scathing look. "Whose side are you on?" she demanded, turning and walking off.

"Where are you going?" Louis shouted after her.

"To the bathroom!" Lily shouted back, close to tears. "Wanna come, so you can insult me some more?"

Hugo turned to Louis. "You shouldn't have said that," he said seriously.

"Yeah, but you gotta admit, Lily can be a bit of a cow when she wants to be," Louis reasoned.

"So?" Hugo said, and Mia noticed he wasn't agree or disagreeing with him. "Doesn't mean you should say it."

"D'you think I should got after her?" Mia asked, as the three of them descended the marble staircase into the Entrance Hall.

Hugo shook his head. "Nah, I'd give her some space, let her cool off. You know Lily – she's got a hot temper like Gran and Aunt Ginny."

Mia spotted Will hovering by the doors into the Great Hall.

"Mia, can I have a word?" he asked.

"Sure," Mia said, stopping whilst Hugo and Louis continued into the Great Hall.

"Where's Lily?" Will asked, confusing Mia. Why would Will want to talk to Lily? "Oh, I don't want to talk to her or anything," Will clarified. "I just wondered where she was, since you guys are practically inseparable."

"She had an argument with Louis," Mia explained. "She'll come back when she's cooled down."

"Do you think she's okay?" Will asked.

"She's Lily," Mia shrugged. There wasn't really any other way to describe it; Lily was... Lily.

"Okay..." Will said. "Well, I just wanted to check you were alright for training tomorrow night."

"Oh," Mia said. Since there were no more Gryffindor Quidditch matches and Will's NEWTs were just a few weeks away, she hadn't been expecting to have training with Will this week.

"It'd have to be the last one for a while, because of exams and stuff, but I could do an hour or so," Will said.

"Yeah, okay," Mia said. "Thanks."

"Oh, and, by the way, Danielle's going to be there, just to get a feel for how you play, maybe try and put a few goals past you."  
Mia gulped. It was one thing blocking goals from Will, who was a Keeper by nature, quite another to play against Danielle, a chaser and Gryffindor captain to boot.

"Don't worry, it's not a try-out or anything – she just wants to see what I've been raving about all year," Will said. "So, I'll see you on the pitch at six tomorrow."  
When Mia joined him at the Gryffindor table, Hugo didn't ask what Will had wanted. It was a kind of unspoken agreement between her and Lily and Hugo – they never asked where she disappeared to every Thursday night.

Lily joined them ten minutes later, her eyes all red and puffy.

"Shepherd's pie?" Hugo asked, piling it on her plate without waiting for a response. He seemed determined to ignore what had just happened with Louis, and Mia followed his lead, making conversation with Hugo, and not fuelling Lily's sulk.

As they finished eating, Louis came over from Ravenclaw table.

"Lily, I'm sorry for what I said," he said.

"Yeah, and I'm sorry you're my cousin!" Lily retorted.

"Lily, make up," Hugo sighed.

"Why should I?" Lily scowled.

"Because he said sorry," Hugo said.

Louis sat down on the bench beside Lily. "Look, Lil, I'm sorry, alright?" he said. "I didn't mean to call you a cow-"

"You still did, though, didn't you?" Lily said.

"Yeah, and I said I'm sorry," Louis said.

Lily sighed. "I guess I accept your apology," she said.

"Thank you."

"C'mon, we're gotta go to Defence Against the Dark Arts," Hugo said.

The following evening, Mia headed down to the Quidditch Pitch, feeling apprehensive. What if she was rubbish and she couldn't block any of Danielle's goals? Not only would she let herself down, but she'd let Will down – he'd given up hours of his time to coach her this year.

When she reached the pitch, Will and Danielle were both already there, stood talking to each other. Mia approached them slowly, suddenly in awe of the older students. They were both so much older than her; she was just a little insignificant first year.

"Hey, Mia," Will said, as she joined them.

"Hi," Mia said.

"I picked out the 48 for you," Will said, handing her the broom.

Mia sighed. The Cleansweep 48 was the best of the school brooms, but that didn't mean it was any good.

"Right, let's get going," Will said, mounting his broom. "Remember what I said about the eyes."

Mia nodded, kicking off hard from the ground. She rose up to the height of the goalhoops, Danielle and Will following.

"Alright," Danielle said. "Will and I are going ot work together to try and put some goals past you."

"Okay," Mia nodded.

"Don't worry, it's not a test," Danielle said reassuringly.

Mia steeled herself as Danielle and Will flew towards her, passing the Quaffle between them. Danielle threw the Quaffle, and Mia dived the wrong way.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Mia said to herself as she swooped down to retrieve the Quaffle.

"Don't worry, Mia!" Danielle called after her.

Mia rose up to playing height again, and passed the Quaffle back to Will. She had to do better – she couldn't let Will down.

Mia stopped the next goal, but it was Will shooting, and she had a suspicion he wasn't really trying.

"Nice one, Mia!" Will called, but Mia ignored him, steeling herself for the next attempt on goal.

As Danielle flew towards her, Mia remembered what Will had said: 'It's always in the eyes.' She watched as Danielle feinted left, but deliberately looked right, so deliberately that Mia sensed a double bluff. She flew left, as did Danielle, and Mia caught the Quaffle, hugging it to her chest to make sure she didn't drop it.

"Good save, Mia," Danielle said, and Mia allowed herself to smile. Danielle, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, thought that had been a good save.

An hour later, the three of them landed on the pitch. Mia waited to see what Danielle would say to her.

"You surprised me, Mia," she said. "I've seen you fly, but... you're a good keeper. I hope to see you try out in September."

"I will," Mia promised, as the three of them started walking towards the castle.


	18. Chapter Eighteen: Victory Day

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Victory Day**

There were still several major events in the school year before exams were upon them. In Modern History of Magic one day, Professor Nilsson told the class about one of them.

"In case you weren't aware, this Saturday, the 2nd of May, is Victory Day, the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts and the end of the Second Wizarding War. It's a day on which the Wizarding World celebrates the freedom we now live in, and remembers the sacrifice of those who died to make this possible.

"The ceremony will take place down by the lake, and not only will the entire Hogwarts student body be there – attendance is mandatory – but there will also be many other witches and wizards in attendance. The ceremony will mainly consists of speeches – from the Minister, Professor McGonnagal, the Head Boy and Head Girl, Harry Potter, and others who played a major part in the war."

In the house common room that night, all anyone could talk about was Victory Day.

"I hope it won't be too long," Lily sighed. "I want to be there, and stuff, but it'll be boring if it goes on for hours."

"Oh, it'll go on all day, Lils," James teased.

"And all night," Fred grinned.

"All week," Chris put in.

"Too far, Chris," James said. "But seriously, Lil – yeah, it's long, but it's interesting too. The Head Boy and Head Girl's tributes are good – they tend to speak about something close to them, like when I was just an ickle firstie, and Teddy Lupin was Head Boy, he spoke about his parents. Plus, Mum and Dad'll be there."

"Do you think Uncle Ron will do a speech?" Lily grinned. "Because if he does, we'll get a very warped version of events where he's the hero. I've heard him tell war stories."

"We've _all_ heard him telling war stories," Hugo grimaced.

The day before Victory Day was the last Quidditch match of the year, Hufflepuff vs Slytherin. Although Quidditch Matches usually took place on a Saturday, due to Victory Day, this match had been moved to the Friday afternoon. Lessons finished at lunchtime, and the match started at 2pm sharp. There was a lot riding on the match for not only Hufflepuff and Slytherin, but Gryffindor too. Gryffindor were supporting Hufflepuff for an early victory, for such an outcome would send Gryffindor top. The worst case scenario, as far as Lily, Mia and Hugo were concerned, was a Hufflepuff victory, 220 points ahead of Slytherin, who had also scored at least 180 points, as that would mean Gryffindor faced a slide into third place.

When they reached the pitch, Mac was in the commentator's podium, giving his usual pre-match commentary. Whilst he usually managed to be fairly impartial, today, it was all he could do to stop pointing out all the Slytherin players' faults.

"Come on Hufflepuff!" Lily yelled, adding her voice to the din, as she settled herself in the stands with the rest of the gang.

"Budge up." The first years looked up to see James, Fred and Chris pushing their way along the row to them. James sat down in between Lily and Mia.

"So, Rose, who're you supporting?" he grinned at his cousin, who was sitting with Al in the row in front.

"Hufflepuff to be 180 points to 0 up, and then Scorp to catch the snitch," Rose grinned, turning around in her seat.

"Good luck with that," James grinned.

"Aaand they're off!" Mac shouted. "And it's McLaggan of Slytherin with the Quaffle, she passes to Derrick, who fumbles, intercepted by Hufflepuff's Shane Hailey, who passes to Lovell, intercepted by Derrick, and it's Buzz Derrick of Slytherin heading for goal. AND THAT'S 10 POINTS FOR SLYTHERIN STRAIGHT OFF THE MARK!"

The Gryffindors all groaned, and James tapped Rose on the shoulder.

"Bang goes your theory then, cuz!" he bellowed into her ear – it was the only way he could be heard over the crowd.

Play had already resumed, and they all tuned back into what was going on.

"And it's Hufflepuff's Coleen Creevey tearing down the pitch with the Quaffle. She's hit by a bludger from Slytherin's Warrington, and drops the Quaffle, but it's picked by her team mate Lovell, who's heading for goal."

They all watched the Hufflepuff player heading down the pitch. Two of Slytherin's chasers were closing in on her on either side. They soon bumped into her, squeezing her in between them. One of them knocked the Quaffle out of her hands, and it was snatched up by the third chaser Belby, who was flying below them.

Mac swore into the magical megaphone. "That was a dirty trick!" he shouted. "Penalty! Penalty!"

Many of the students in the stands took up Mac's chant of 'penalty, penalty!' Madam Hooch blew her whistle, and one of the Hufflepuff chasers got ready to take the penalty, whilst Mac got roundly told off for his language by Professor Longbottom.

"And so it's Hufflepuff's Alicia Lovell preparing to take a well-deserved penalty after that... disgusting foul from the Slytherin chasers. Can the Hufflepuff chaser level the score?"

"No," Lily predicted, and she was right. Slytherin keeper Montague blocked the goal, and play resumed. In the next ten minutes, Slytherin scored three more goals, giving them a forty nil lead.

"And it's Hufflepuff's Hailey heading for goal, he dodges a bludger, passes to Lovell, who passes back to Hailey, who has another bludger sent at him by Slytherin's Gage Bole. He drops the Quaffle, and it's snatched up by Slytherin's McLaggan, who passes to Belby, to Derrick, back to Belby... but wait – have the seekers seen the snitch?"

The crowd looked up to where the two seekers were, high above. Scorpius was diving, with Hufflepuff seeker Gavin Cadwallder close on his tail.

"Slytherin's Scorpius Malfoy is diving for the snitch, with Cadwallder close behind," Mac shouted. "He's gaining on it – could this be an early end to the match?"

"NO!" Lily, Mia and Hugo bellowed – if Scorpius caught the snitch now, Slytherin would win the Quidditch cup.

Scorpius caught the snitch, and Mac swore loudly into the magical megaphone.

In the house common room that night, Scorpius was the centre of attention. Although there weren't usually that many Slytherins in the house common room, they were out in full force today, all gathered around Scorp, slapping him on the back and congratulating him. Rose was sat with him, but she didn't look very happy.

As the first years were preparing to head back to Gryffindor tower, they heard shouting from the middle of the common room where Rose and Scorp had been sitting all night.

"I _am_ proud of your catch!" Rose was shouting.

"Well, maybe you ought to start acting like it, then!" Scorpius retorted.

"Or maybe you ought to stop expecting everyone to salute you as a great hero. All you did was catch a damn ball!"

"Yeah, and that shows just how much you know about Quidditch. You're such a...girl, Rose!" Scorpius shouted exasperatedly.

"Yeah, and you're just a...a... sexist male chauvinist pig!" Rose shouted back.

"You know, Rose, just for once it'd be nice to have a girlfriend who supports me, rather than being sore about her team not winning the cup."

"Maybe you ought to find yourself a new girlfriend, then," Rose spat, her voice scathing. She got up and started walking away.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Scorp demanded.

"I don't know, Malfoy, am I?" Rose called back over her shoulder.

"Well, you know what, Weasley?" Scorpius shouted. "You know what? _I'm_ breaking up with _you_!"

"Good!" Rose shouted, crying now. "Good! _You_ know what? I don't give a damn about you, Scorpius stuck-up-Quidditch-legend Malfoy!"

The next morning after breakfast, the entire school headed down to the lakeside, where over a thousand chairs had been set out in neat rows. Lily, Mia, Hugo and Louis found seats near the back, and waited for the Victory Day ceremony to start.

"Look, it's McGonnagal!" Lily said, pointing. Sure enough, Professor McGonnagal was sat in the front row, having come back from Beauxbatons especially for Victory Day.

As the seats filled up around them, Mia studied the people the front row. She spotted Lily's parents, and Hugo's too. There was a tall black man, whom she knew to be Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister for Magic, even though she'd only ever seen photographs of him. She didn't recognise anyone else, but guessed they had to be important people in the Wizarding world, or those who'd played important roles in the war.

The Victory Day ceremony was long, but interesting. Lots of people gave speeches, but Mia found those by Will and Kimmy, Hogwarts Head Boy and Head Girl, the most relatable. Kimmy spoke about Cedric Diggory, officially the first casualty of the war, and Will spoke about the role of muggle borns in the war, and the persecution they faced.

In the evening there was a feast in the grounds, and Mia sat with Lily and Hugo and their families. The meal was enjoyable, if slightly tainted by Rose's constant staring at Scorpius' back, as he ate with some fellow Slytherins.

The following day, Sunday, was spent lazily in the grounds, in a relaxed mood the feast the previous night had induced, but come Monday, it was back to the grindstone, since exams were looming.


	19. Chapter Nineteen: Exams

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Exams**

Before the first years knew it, exams were upon them. The hallways were filled with students muttering incantations under their breakfast tables were littered with propped up spell books, and some of the older students, particularly James, because so touchy that they would hex you if you so much as sneezed.

Meanwhile, the first years had problems of their own; they had to pass the end of year exams in order to become second years in September. Mia herself wasn't particularly worried – she couldn't expect to do spectacularly well, but she could pass by remembering most of the stuff she'd learnt this year – and even if History of Magic was going to be a total failure, hopefully her marks in other subjects would make up for that.

Lily came out of every exam wanting to analyse each question, bemoaning how badly she thought she'd done, whereas Louis had an annoying habit of coming out of every exam with a smug smile on his face, declaring that it was a breeze. Mia and Hugo were often tempted to leave them to their endless 'Yes, but what about question twelve?' 'Twelve? It was a breeze.'

On Wednesday evening, 'the gang' formed a study group in the house common room. They only had Transfiguration and Potions left the following day, and had devised a quiz, boys vs girls, to test their knowledge. The girls were currently two points ahead, although the boys insisted that was simply because there were more of them.

As Fred, who had an exam free Thursday, and had therefore volunteered to be quiz master, started the next question, yelling broke out on the other side of the house common room.

Everyone looked around to see Rose and Scorpius, who had already broken up and got back together three times since Victory Day, stood six feet apart, screaming at each other.

"For Merlin's sake, Scorp, I'm trying to revise!" Rose yelled. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Because we're revising together!" Scorp shouted back. "You do this all the time, Rose – shut me out!"

"Yeah, well, you do this all the time!" Rose yelled. "You get all clingy, like you think you own me-"

"I don't think I own you! Don't be stupid, Rose!"  
"Oh, so now I'm stupid, am I?"

"No, I – oh, you're so impossible, Rose!"

"Impossible too, am I? You know what, Malfoy? I'm done."

"Using surnames now, are we Weasley?" Scorp sneered.

"Just get lost!"

Rose stormed over to where the gang were sat. "I really am done this time," she muttered to no one in particular.

Hugo got up and hugged his sister.

"I'm done with playing all his stupid games," she sobbed. "I'm done, Hugo."

"I know, I know," Hugo said soothingly, hugging her.

Scorp stormed out of the common room, slamming the door behind him as loudly as he could.

"Why don't you come and join us?" Hugo suggested even as Fred was wildly mouthing 'no!' over Rose's shoulder.

"No; I'm going to bed," Rose said decisively, also leaving the common room.

"Right..." Fred said, turning the attention back to him. "Hands on your wands. What would I get if I added an infusion of wormwood to armadillo bile?"

The next morning, Lily, Mia and Hugo sat with Rose at breakfast, and immediately wished they hadn't. She spent the entire meal watching Scorpius over at the Slytherin table, commenting on everything he was doing.

"Why don't you go and talk to him?" Hugo suggested finally.

"Because I'm done with playing his stupid, infantile games," Rose said.

"And this isn't a game?" Hugo asked. "You love him, right?"

Rose didn't say anything.

"Rose?" Hugo said. "You love Scorp, right?"

"Mmm," Rose said grudgingly.

"Well then!" Hugo said triumphantly.

"Yeah, but that's not enough, is it?" Rose said. "Scorp and I, we're volatile. We don't work. It doesn't matter whether or not we love each other."

"Well, stop moping," Hugo said firmly. "I for one need to revise for Transfiguration – Duncan's bound to write the most difficult exams possible."

"Mmm," Lily agreed. "I bet he'll set a really hard practical."

"We'd better get going, actually," Mia said, getting up.

"Good luck, guys," Rose said, distractedly, still watching Scorpius across the room.

Mia, Lily and Hugo got up from the table and headed up to the fifth floor. As they emerged from a shortcut which took them directly from the second to fourth floors, they met Peeves the poltergeist.

"Oh no..." Hugo said.

"Why, it's some ickle firsties!" he exclaimed.

"Leave us alone, Peeves," Lily said.

Peeves ignored her. "So, where are you going, ickle firsties?" he asked, bouncing around between the floor and the ceiling.

"To our Transfiguration exam," Hugo said. "Please let us past, Peeves."  
"Why should I?" Peeves grinned. "Peevsie doesn't take orders from anyone, especially ickle firsties."

"What, not even the daughter of the guy who defeated Voldermort?" Lily demanded.

"Not even potty wee Potter's daughter, Flowerpot," Peeves grinned. "I'll only let you past if you hex each other."

"No way!" Mia said. "C'mon, guys – let's go back and find another way."

The three of them headed back through the tapestry and down to the second floor. They then had to run all the way up three flights of stairs to avoid being late for their Transfiguration exam.

When they reached Professor Duncan's classroom, he was already ushering the rest of their classmates inside.

"Hurry up, you three," he snapped as they came down the corridor. "In fact, wait a minute." The three of them stopped. "Why are you late?" Professor Duncan asked.

"We got held up by Peeves," Hugo explained. "He wouldn't let us through, so we had to go back and find another route."

"A likely story..." Professor Duncan said.

"But it's true!" Lily said indignantly.

"Tell me, Miss Potter, would detention be a fitting way to celebrate your exams finishing?" Professor Duncan said scathingly. "No? Then perhaps you should stop answering me back. All of you, go inside and find your desks. Miss Kallous what are you doing out here?"

Mia looked over to see Ilonka stood by the door, smirking. "Nothing, Professor," she said.

"Well go and sit down then."

Mia grabbed Lily's arm before they walked into the classroom. "Don't let her get to you, Lil," she said. "You're really good at Transfiguration – don't let her put you off."

"Don't worry, I won't," Lily huffed.

Lily and Hugo and been right – the Transfiguration exam was difficult – and when Professor Duncan called her into his office for the two and a half minute practical exam, Mia was sure she hadn't done half of it right.

"I failed!" Lily said as they walked down to lunch.

"I'm sure you didn't fail..." Hugo said.

"I did!" Lily said. "And I bet you walked it, as usual," she said, turning to Louis, who'd been grinning lazily ever since the exam finished.

"Naturally," he smiled.

"I don't think it's fair that people like you exist," Mia sighed, and Louis laughed.

"It's not my fault I'm a genius," he shrugged.

They reached the Great Hall, said goodbye to Louis, and went to sit at the Gryffindor table, finding seats opposite James, Fred and Chris.

"Hey ickle firsties," Fred grinned. "So, I heard you had an altercation with Peeves this morning."

"Oooh 'altercation' – big word for you, mate," James laughed.

"Yeah, and it nearly got us all detention!" Lily said indignantly, ignoring James.

"How do _you_ know_ that_?" Hugo demanded.

"Peeves himself told us," James said.

"Gleefully," Chris added.

"So, what exams have you guys got left, then?" Fred asked.

"Just Potions this afternoon," Mia said.

"Lucky little gits," James grumbled. "We've still got _loads_ left."  
Hugo poked his tongue out at his cousin. "I guess there are some perks of being just an ickle firstie, then," he grinned.

As they were finishing lunch and preparing to head down to the dungeons for Potions, Mac came over to them.

"Barbeque down by the lake, tonight, to celebrate the end of exams," he said. "Spread the word to the rest of the gang, and any other first or second years you want to invite."

"What? – how on earth did you get permission?" Lily asked. "Who did you ask?"

"Cooky," Mac grinned. "I guess no one else would've said yes, but... I reckon she's got a soft spot for me. She's arranged food with the house elves and everyone. So, I'll see you there, then?"

The three of them assured Mac they'd be there, and then headed down to the dungeons. On the way, they met Cassie and Zoe, and filled them in on Mac's barbeque.

"So, ready for Potions?" Zoe asked.

"As I'll ever be," Mia said. "I still wish I could sit next to Cassie, and she could whisper tips in my ear."  
They all laughed, Cassie included.

"Well, here we are," Hugo said as they reached the door to the Potions classroom. Two minutes later, Professor Cooke opened the door and ushered them inside.

Two hours later, students streamed out of the Potions classroom.

"EXAMS ARE OVER!" Lily screamed, and promptly got told off by Professor Cooke, because exams were still going on in the Great Hall, just above them.


End file.
